Turning Your Starving Garden Into A Goldmine Of Growth For Sandy Soil

By Author: Steven Becker
Total Articles: 16
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I am a landscaper and tree mover that services the Greater Milwaukee Wisconsin Area. From Experience I know that there are 3 different soil types surrounding Milwaukee. If you go North of Milwaukee; in the Mequon and Cedarburg Areas the ground is 100% clay, if you go northwest a bit to the West Bend area it takes a dramatic 180 degree turn and becomes 100% sand. If you go straight west of Milwaukee, you hit Waukesha; I have found much of the soil from this area to be loaded with rocks, stone, and more or less a grave/rock mixture. When it comes to growing things, none of these soils are especially good.

In this article I am going to focus on how to tackle your sandy soil. In nature there would naturally be a 1-3 foot deep layer of rich topsoil and organic matter on top of the sand. Unfortunately, if your house has been constructed in the last 10 years - most likely you home only has about 3 - 4 inches of topsoil on the ground. Three inches is the least amount of topsoil you can have to keep your lawn healthy. The problem is your flowers, shrubs, and trees would like to have more than 3 inches of healthy ...
... soil to grow in.

Most plants thrive in loamy soil that is moist but well drained - this may seem like a contradiction; but this simply means soil that retains moisture, but does not stay too wet. The problem with sandy soil is that it lacks nutrients; and sandy soil will not retain moisture for an adequate amount of time.

In nature, forests and grasslands don't get cut back and raked up; instead, all the dead stuff decomposes into humus, which has many elements that plants need for growth. Humus creates a loose soil structure that holds moisture and air, and drains well. Copy nature by making compost in your backyard, or add composted manure or other organic matter, which you can buy at garden centers and mulch yards. With sandy soil, humus acts like a sponge to hold moisture; it will also bring in and help store a lot of much needed nutrients and vitamins that is lacking in sandy soils.

Before you start, remove grass or other existing vegetation with a flat spade or kill with a glyphosate herbicide such as Roundup. It's very important to do this job well, making sure that you don't have grass or weeds growing where you want to plant. If using glyphosate, wait one week before spading or tilling the bed. The plants you sprayed should be turning yellow.

Remove the topsoil and set it aside. Dig out about 7 inches of sand and have it removed. Place the topsoil that you have set aside back into the area that you have dug out and add enough of your composted manure or other organic matter, in a layer that is about 4 inches thick over the sand and dig it in about 8 inches, this will add fertility deep in the soil and help it hold and maintain adequate moisture levels. Be sure to dig in the soil amendments, rather than tilling them in, as this can pulverize the soil and make it too fine of a texture. Then add a layer of 3 inches of additional composted manure or other organic matter on top. Finally, make sure that you mulch between plants to help the soil retain moisture.

Finally, after you have finished this process treat your new plants and perennials with a root stimulator that contains mycorrhizae fungus. Then sit back and watch your plants thrive!

Follow this process and you will be sure to turn your Starving Garden into a Goldmine of Growth!
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