Gardening Series: Dig in the Dirt! Soil Preparation: 3 DIY Soil Tests

By Robin Sweetser

October 16, 2024

Source: Almanac

Photo Source: Unsplash,

• 4:06

3 DIY Soil Tests

To learn more about your soil and its health, here are three DIY soil tests covering 1) your soil’s texture, 2) soil pH, and 3) soil health.

Soil Texture: The Peanut Butter Jar Test

Find out what kind of soil you have! Healthy soil typically consists of 20 percent clay, 40 percent silt, and 40 percent sand. This should take about 1 hour to set up and a full day to conclude. Find an empty straight-sided jar, such as a peanut butter or mason jar, with a lid, and have a ruler handy. Dig down to root level—about 6 inches—in the area that you want to test and remove enough soil to fill the jar to between one-third and one-half full. Next, fill the jar to the shoulder with water, then set the jar aside to let the soil soak up the water. Put the lid on the jar and shake it hard for about 3 minutes.

1. Set the jar down and look at your watch. In 1 minute, measure (with the ruler) the amount of sediment that has collected at the bottom. This is the sand in your soil.

2. Wait 4 minutes more. Measure the sediment again: The difference between the two numbers will be the amount of silt in your soil. 

3. Take a third measurement in 24 hours. The difference between the second and third numbers will be the amount of clay in your soil. 

   
   

Calculate the percentages of sand, silt, and clay, which should add up to 100 percent. Nice, loamy soil will be 20 percent clay, 40 percent silt, and 40 percent sand. This simple test can help you to decide what to grow: If your soil is high in sand, it will be well-draining. Silt and clay are hard to get wet, but they stay wet; plants that like “wet feet” would be happy here. Choose your plants accordingly and/or amend the soil:

• If you have sandy soil, add humus or aged manure, peat moss, or sawdust with some extra nitrogen. Heavy, clay-rich soil can also be added to improve the soil.

• If you have silty soil, add coarse sand (not beach sand), or gravel and compost, or well-rotted horse manure mixed with fresh straw.

• If you have clay soil, add coarse sand (not beach sand), compost, and peat moss.

Glass Floral Vase, Get NOW. Shidonna Raven Garden & Cook, Soaring by Design

Shidonna Raven Garden & Cook - Garden Club

BECOME a Climate Change Community Champion

How can you introduce more (organic or natural) fresh vegetables and fruits into your diet? How could this impact the environment? How could a home garden contribute to your and your family's over all health?

JOIN the Garden Club

Share the wealth of health with your colleagues and friends by sharing this article with 3 people today.

BECOME a Corporate Climate Change Partner

If this article was helpful to you, donate to the Shidonna Raven Garden and Cook E-Magazine Today. Thank you in advance.