Types of Soil

If you want to be able to grow vegetables all year round, you need to consider the type of soil that you have.

Light, sandy soils have low levels of potash. If they are acidic, which is often the case, this can be treated by adding ground limestone.

Crops grow on them early, although weeds often tend to grow on them as well.

They produce vegetables of better quality than heavy soils do, and cultivation on them is easy.

In these soils, vegetables grow well over the winter.

You should be able to produce from two to four crops on light, sandy soils each year.

Root crops are especially suited for these soils.

Large amounts of organic manure and potash must be added to this type of soil. Lime should also be applied regularly.

Weeds are less likely to grown on heavy soils.

Heavy soils are also less resistant to drought.

However, heavy soils are more expensive to cultivate. You cannot work on them all through the year.

Crops tend to grow later on heavy soils than on light soils. Those crops that are grown on heavy soils do not last very well over the winter.

Moss lands soils are good for market gardening.

They do not need much potash and do not need any nitrogenous manure.

They must be given phosphatic dressings regularly.

Celery is often grown or moss lands soils.

Chalky soils are usually light. Rolling is used to compact them.

They must have heavy dressings of organic manures.

Growers that have large amounts of chalky soil often let sheep feed on brassica crops. The sheep add organic manure and cause the soil to become more compact.

It is advisable to avoid soil that is overlying chalk or soil that is heavy with clay, if you wish to be able to hoe all year round.