When you hear the word ‘landscaping’ what comes to mind? Beautiful pools, paving, decking and more? What many people don’t think about when it comes to creating a beautiful outdoor landscape is the importance of the soil you’re working with. Different types of soil provide difference moisture and nutrients to the plants in your garden. For this reason, it’s crucial to have a basic understanding of the soil.
Clay
Soil that contains a high clay content is, as you would imagine, pretty sticky and tends to clump together. This soil retains moisture for long periods, but it can be a little difficult to work with. One plus point of clay soil is that is can be very nutrient-rich which is great for your plants. Unfortunately, though, it drains horribly slowly and is very heavy. Also, when the weather is warm, clay heats up relatively slowly which isn’t conducive to plant growth.
Sand
Sandy soil is most commonly found near the coast so it can at times have a high salt level. It’s normally well drained as well as being porous. When this soil is used for landscaping it tends not to hold water or nutrients for a long time. Although this type of soil is not great for growing some plants, it’s perfect for certain coastal vegetation for obvious reasons.
Silt Soil
Silt is somewhere between clay and sand, so it has the properties of both soils. The great thing about silt is that many plants can grow in it. Silt is lighter than clay while being denser and heavier than sand. It drains better than clay while retaining moisture well. It also contains and retains nutrients to enable most species of plants to grow and thrive. In other words, it’s a great soil type.
Here, at Landscape By Design, we are experts in landscaping design. Perth people have been happily using our services for years, in fact. To find out more about our services, simply contact us today!