How to Garden With Sand in your lawn
Like many want-to-be gardeners, you can find that your soil is less than perfect for growing plants. If your lawn appears filled with sand — it falls apart smoothly even when it is wet — afterward home gardening may seem like an impossible undertaking. Fortunately, it’s not. Since you have a lot of options to make when gardening in land that is on the sandy side, you need to have the ability to find a way to successfully grow thriving plants.
Eliminate weeds and grass to create a garden area. In sandy soil, it is a lot easier to eliminate unwanted development by hand than in other soil types. Turn the soil with a hoe, spade or garden fork, and also lift and discard some weeds and grass. Ideally, you should start this process a minumum of one month prior to planting so you can get rid of any new increase.
Select plants such as California poppy, crape myrtle, lavender, gazania, yucca and quince that tolerate sandy soil conditions and grow well in your climate. Vegetables that grow well in sandy soil include asparagus, peppers and spinach.
Amend the soil with compost or other organic matter to create a more loamy, rich land bed for crops. Adding compost will also reduce fertilization and irrigation needs. Ideally, incorporate 4 to 6 inches of organic matter into the top 8 to 12 inches of sandy soil. If you are in short supply of organic matter, mix 2 to 4 inches to the top 6 inches of soil.
Spread fertilizer evenly over the top of the soil. How much pesticide and what kind changes among plants and the exact conditions of your soil. Because sandy soil doesn’t have a lot of nutrients, fertilizer is a must, especially if you did not add organic matter to your garden bed.
Plant during mild weather conditions and irrigate using 1 inch of water. Spread 2-3 inches of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, around the plants to help conserve water and to gradually add richness into the soil. This is especially necessary if you did not amend the soil prior to planting. Keep mulch at least 1 to 2 inches away from plant stems to help avoid crown rot. Replenish mulch every year or two to preserve the desired thickness.
Check soil conditions for humidity three to four times a week for the first growing season, especially during dry weather. New plantings require additional attention and are more drought sensitive than found plantsthat have deeper root systems and are accustomed to their environment. Water plants once the soil is dry to the touch approximately 1 to 2 inches deep. Following the first growing season, you can cut back on the frequency of waterings, checking the soil about once each week, especially when the weather is dry and hot.
Top dress the soil around your plants with wool at a recommended speed and timing for your plants during the growing season, particularly when you did not enhance your soil conditions using natural matter. Nutrients wash quickly through sandy soil.