The first thing to consider is where the plants will grow.

If you have a plot of land and garden, that is a good start. Remember, you can also grow in containers with excellent results. If you don't have any land, try going to a fruit store and pick up Polystyrene boxes that carry fruit. With holes in the bottom for drainage and filled with soil, these can provide anyone with a cheap and simple garden.

OK, so you have you plot or container and have removed the weeds from it and dug the soil so that it is broken up enough to plant in. What then?

You need to look closely at the soil. The 3 basic types of soil are:

Sandy soil

Silty/loam soil and

Clay.

Sandy soil, when you hold it in your hand and make a cylinder shape, will generally fall apart immediately. It has a grainy feel and you will notice larger type granules. This soil warms up quickly but can loose moisture very fast. A great tip for this soil type is add some Peat to it. You will find this at your gardening store and it is very economical. Peat will add to the soils water retention and provide more organic matter for the plants. Also remember, sandy soil can be very acidic so it is recommended that Lime be added to the soil. Lime is also available at your garden centre and will have instructions on it.

Silty or loam soil, when made into a cylinder shape in your hands will hold it's shape for a short time and then crumble. This is a good soil type to have as it will drain fairly well, yet hold more moisture than sand.

Lastly, Clay type soils will hold their shape when formed into a cylinder in your hands for a long time. These soils will need to be broken up very well and some form of organic matter added. This may be peat, compost or another type of soil. If something is not added, clay will compact after planting and watering. You will find it hard to water and the plants will be starved of air that they need to grow.

If you are having trouble with the soil type, simply ask a gardener near you, or your local nursery.

Now that you've discovered the type of soil you have, in order to get it ready for planting there are 3 things to do;

1. Break up the Soil. Make sure it is dug up well with all the weeds removed. A fork is best for this job, but you may have to use your hands to break up clods.

2. Lime . After some time, all soils become more acidic. If you are using a garden that has had plants before, it will almost certainly need a good amount of lime. This also applies to new soil, especially those you have added peat to. Lime creates a more hospitable soil condition for worms, less hospitable for certain fungi & bacteria and it allows organic matter to break down allowing the plants more nutrients.

3. Fertiliser. While this one is not essential, you will end up with a far nicer crop than if you don't apply it. You can apply anything from animal manure (chicken manure is excellent) that can be free or very cheap, to Blood and Bone or multi purpose fertiliser. Blood and Bone can be bought at any nursery or hardware store and adds much needed nutrients to the plants for an economical cost. Nitrogen or multi-purpose fertiliser can be a little more expensive, but will be very beneficial.

The first 2 things really are necessary for a nice crop, the third can make your plants exceptional.

So to recap, for a good start to your garden;

- Find out the type of soil you have

- Break up and weed the soil ready for the plants

- Condition the soil according to the type you have

- Add fertiliser and mix this in very well.

You may also want to wait a day or two before planting in your newly conditioned soil, to prevent root burn on seedlings from the lime.

The next article in this series will discuss what to grow for your area and needs.

Happy gardening,

Rachel Annarve.

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