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Home soil testing can be done with just a few household items and a little common sense.

One of the best ways to get to know the needs of your garden is to carry out a soil test. Home soil testing can be done with just a few household items and a little common sense.

Soil is composed of organic matter, air spaces and three kinds of mineral particles; sand, silt and clay. It is the percentage of each of these minerals that dictates the texture of your soil.

This basic content won't change with any amount of fertiliser. If your soil proves really unsuitable, you could always dig up your garden plot and replace the existing soil with all new material!

Particles

Of soil particles, sand has the largest size (between .4 and .01-inch diameter) and has the largest pores between particles. Conversely, clay has the smallest particle size (less than .0001-inch diameter) and has the smallest amount of water and air spaces between particles.

Silt particles fall somewhere between clay and sand (roughly .01- to .0001-inch diameter). The way sand, silt and clay particles are grouped together in aggregates directly determines the soil structure. The size and arrangement of these aggregates helps to determine both the drainage and the nutrient availability of your soil.

A simple home soil test will help to identify extreme soil conditions in your garden and give you a good starting point for what action should be taken on any drainage, fertility or acidity (Ph) problems.

For the really definitive word on your soil's chemistry and make up, however, there is no substitute for a professional soil test.

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