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4 common soil problems and solutions

If you’re having trouble with your newly planted or transplanted landscaping trees, it could be due to poor soil conditions. It is important that the soil retain proper pH levels to be conducive to tree growth and continued health. Read on for the 4 most common soil problems, including what you can do about them.

Clay floor

Too much clay in the soil will cause some problems. It makes it difficult for water to penetrate, or at least slows it down drastically, which means that the roots of trees and shrubs cannot get adequate amounts of water. Unfortunately, it takes 5-10 years to completely eliminate this problem, but start by removing 6 inches of clay, then fill the bottom with a few inches of quality compost soil. Then continue planting your tree or shrub at the top. This helps create new top soil.

compacted soil

Soil compaction not only reduces the structural integrity of the soil, but also prevents adequate water penetration. It is often caused by constant pressure over the years from heavy objects such as sheds, playgrounds, and concrete patios, as well as repetitive foot and motor vehicle traffic. To alleviate this problem, increase the frequency of aeration of hollow teeth. If your case is severe, you may need to tear up the soil. Once you have a new quality fresh soil base to work with, consider installing pavers or flagstones to alleviate heavy traffic.

Difficult to dig soil

Extremely hard soil is very difficult to cultivate. If you can’t dig deep enough to create a proper planting hole, you can’t plant anything at all. To help ease the fight against hard-to-dig dirt, you may need to have a secondary irrigation water line in the yard, then install a temporary hose bib on the secondary water connected. If this is not possible, cooking practices with water may be your best option to moisten the soil.

rocky ground

The only thing worse than soil that is too hard or compact is soil with too many rocks. Although it is suitable for plants and trees, it can be very difficult to work with. Digging, farming and more become more difficult when there is an excess of rocks and gravel. TO help with this problem, you may choose to use raised garden beds or add a new level of fresh topsoil (at least 6 inches for best results).

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