Alchemy’s history is shrouded in controversy. Those practicing the art were admonished for tirelessly working on transmutation, famously failing to turn metals into gold. Yet as anyone who has experienced failure knows, alchemists learned a whole lot about the natural world through their experimentation. They hacked natural processes to get a better understanding of how things work, and while their research has been left to many interpretations, the investigational methods they used can be employed to give us a deeper understanding of the natural processes of our gardens. So what does that tell us? That there is no magic potion or secret sauce that will grow a perfect garden every time (although compost comes pretty close). The most successful gardeners have learned the formula that works best for them through observation, testing, and time. You can read and study every written word, but, in the end, it’s getting your hands dirty that will give you the definitive answer how best to grow plants in your unique garden.
Even if you do get excellent quality top soil and the first year of gardening is wildly productive, those easily accessed nutrients will soon be depleted. After that, the new soil will need to be amended annually until it becomes rich with the organic matter and microbes that make up living soil. A much less expensive and productive way is to start by amending the soil you have. But before you can do that, you need to assess it.
Take some time to meet your soil. Learn about its natural structure, pH, and health. In this chapter, I’ll share some simple home tests for evaluating your soil as a foundation for the garden alchemy you will use to grow a healthy, regenerative, and thriving garden. Learning to work with what you have is a skill that will save you time, energy, and money in the long run. At-Home Soil Testing A soil test is an essential first step in knowing the soil you are working with. Basic home tests can give you a better understanding of the soil composition and pH, which will serve as a basis for the recipes in this book. With just a bit of information about your soil, you will begin your relationship with the land, learning about what works and what doesn’t work for your space. Some of the plants you grow will effortlessly take root, while others may struggle despite your best efforts. Learning to work with your soil as opposed to fighting its nature will bring the gardener in sync with the garden. While this strategy works well for many home gardeners, if plant problems are persistent and your efforts are not resolving the issues, lab testing provides a detailed qualitative assessment of your soil, including nutrients, toxins, and microbes. Simple Squeeze Test Can do this quick and simple test, can be done right in the garden with minimal time or disruption. Take a handful of soil from the garden and squeeze it into a ball. Poke it with your finger and observe the results:
• If it sticks together, it’s clay.
• If it falls apart somewhat, it’s loam.
• If it falls apart completely, it’s sand.
How to Collect a Soil Sample To collect a soil sample, dig down 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) with a trowel and scoop soil into a bowl. Take three to five samples from different parts of the garden and mix them together. Do not touch the sample with your hands to avoid altering the pH. Soil Composition Test in a Mason Jar Soil is made up of sand, silt, and clay. The ideal balance of these particles for garden soil is called “loam.” It is suitable for growing most plants as it has a great balance of air pockets, moisture and nutrient retention, and drainage.
Test It! Loam is made up of 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, and 20 percent clay.
• Sand makes up the largest soil particles (between 0.05 to 2 mm in diameter)
• Silt makes up the intermediate size soil particles
(between 0.002 to 0.05 mm in diameter)
• Clay makes up the smallest soil particles
(smaller than 0.002 mm in diameter)
To determine the mix of soil you have in your garden,
1. fill a 1-quart (1 liter) Mason jar one-third full with garden soil.
2. Fill the rest of the jar with water and close the lid tightly.
3. Shake the jar well.
4. Let the contents settle overnight. In the morning, there will be up to four visible layers from bottom to top: sand, silt, clay, and water.
Results Measure the percentages of sand, silt, and clay to learn your garden soil’s composition. On soil composition additionally, the clarity of the watersheds lights.
• If the water is clear, the soil is primarily free-draining sand.
• If the water is murky with soil suspended, it is loam.
• If the water is murky with visible sediment around the jar, it is mostly clay.
