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Check Your Soil
One of the first things to do before designing your garden is to check your soil quality.
Once you know this, it's easy to work out how much compost and mulch to use and which plants to grow. This way you'll have a water efficient and healthy garden.
What is good soil quality?
Good soil quality is literally the foundation to a water saving garden, and it's determined by the soil's ability to hold water.
There are three main soil types - sandy, clay and loam - and each has different moisture holding abilities. Loam is the best soil type as it holds plenty of moisture but also drains well so that plant roots don't get waterlogged.
A simple soil test
Soil types can vary dramatically around your garden, so take a handful of soil from different areas and depths in your garden, removing any of the larger, gravelly particles. Add a small amount of water to the soil and start kneading it into a ball.
Sandy soil particles feel gritty and crumbly, and they won't form a ball. Sandy soil is light coloured and has little or no smell. It's low in nutrients, water drains away easily and it dries out quickly in hot weather.
Clay soil forms a ball easily and has the consistency of plasticine. Clay soil varies in colour from white to red to dark brown, is more nutrient-rich than sandy soil and is smooth with a damp smell. It has fine, dense particles that stop water soaking in easily, and becomes hard and even more water resistant in hot weather.
Loam soil forms a ball but will crumble if broken. It's usually brown, consists of small particles and smells like a forest floor. Loam soil is ideal for most plants as it has good nutrient levels, and holds and drains water well.
As most soils in the Sydney region are sandy or clay, you may need to improve your soil so that it ends up resembling loam.
Remember, it's easier and less expensive to improve, rather than replace, your existing soil. Find out how to improve your soil
