The most basic element of your garden is the soil, and any soil can be improved. All soils are composed of sand, silt and clay, in various proportions. An ideal soil, or loam, is a loose, well-draining mix of all three. Unfortunately, many soils are overly high in sand or clay and require amendment. Soils vary greatly throughout the United States. If you live in the southwest or on the East Coast, your soil is probably sandy. Broad areas of the country have soils heavy in clay. And if you live near a river bottom, your soil is probably silty. In order to determine what type of soil your garden has, you can ask employees at a garden center what's prevalent in your area, but it's preferable to request a soil test from the county Agricultural Extension Service. You can also learn a lot about soil type by feel. Pick up a handful of soil: if it feels rough and gritty and can't be squeezed into a ball, it's high in sand. If it feels slick and greasy when wet or is difficult to break apart when dry, the soil is predominantly clay. Silty soil is fine in texture and can be squeezed into a loose ball. Clay can be a difficult soil type to deal with and should be amended with sand and organic matter to improve its texture.
| 
)
)
)
