Lackluster Plants? Poor Soil Could Be the Culprit.

If your plants aren’t performing as well as you’d like, it’s possible that your soil is made up of too much clay or too much sand. If this is the case, your plants’ roots are probably having a hard time getting all of the air, water and nutrients they need.

What Can Be Done?

Poor soil can be improved. And the best way to improve the soil is to add organic materials. But first it’s important to be sure that the soil is in a workable condition before you start. A good test is to squeeze a handful of soil from a 6" depth. If it falls apart easily, it’s ready. But if it stays in a clump, it’s too wet and should be allowed to dry out first.

Ideally, planting beds should be improved before planting. But improvements can be made around existing plants as long as the roots aren’t disturbed.

Improving the Soil

Backyard compost, composted manure and sphagnum peat moss all work well as soil amendments. In annual flower beds, 2" to 3" of organic amendment should be incorporated to a depth of 8” to 10”. In vegetable gardens, 3" to 4" of organic matter (plus 1" to 2" of coarse sand for heavy clay soils) should be worked into a depth of 8" to 10".

If possible, repeat this process yearly for a better-growing, better-blooming flower bed!

Featured Job:
WPVI-TV 6abc

C. Caramanico & Sons, Inc. provides a full service grounds and landscape maintenance service to this office building. Our diligent and hardworking maintenance teams mow and trim the lawn, prune the shrubbery, and police the grounds on a weekly basis. Seasonal rotation of the flowers keeps the property looking fresh and colorful all year round. Our account manager works hand in hand with the property manager to continually make improvements in the landscape to ensure that the building is looking its best for our client.

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Client testimonial

“Your crews are performing flawlessly and the work is beautiful. Thank you for this level of professionalism.”

~ Dan McLaughlin, Bittenbender Construction

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