Lesson 1
Diagnosing Your Soil Texture
Perform a simple jar test to identify the composition of your garden soil.
The Jar Test
Fill a clear glass jar one-third with soil and the rest with water. Shake it vigorously and let it settle for 24 hours. The sand will sink to the bottom, the silt sits in the middle, and clay stays on top. This ratio tells you what you are dealing with.
Understanding Drainage
If your soil stays waterlogged, it is clay-heavy and lacks air pockets. If water vanishes instantly, it is sandy and lacks retention. Identifying this is the first step in successful gardening. Avoid amending soil while it is frozen or saturated, as working it then destroys its structure. Aim to work when the soil is 'friable'—moist enough to clump but dry enough to crumble easily when pressed between your fingers. Do not guess; use this objective test to save money on unnecessary additives.