What type of soil do you use to grow a vegetable garden?

Answer 1

ANSWER:Any soil will work but I would recommend taking a soil sample and sending it off to the local county agricultural extension office for a detailed soil analysis. It costs a few dollars and it will tell you the soil composition, the pH and what it needs. They should give you all the information as to what additives you should need to get the soil to optimum levels needed for vegetable gardening. Some soils are too low in pH, some others too high in nitrogen. Too much nitrogen, such as miracle grow, can cause poor pollination and make the blooms fall off before a fruit is produced. If you wanted to ammend the soil by yourself, add 250 lbs of composted cow manure, one 5 pound bag of lime and 1 cup of epsom salts to each 20 ft X 20 ft area every year before planting season and till it under. Do this for 5 years and you will have great soil. If you use hay, the kind cows eat, and use this as a mulch over the entire garden, it will control weed seeds from germinating and as the hay decomposes it adds nutrients into the soil and can be tilled under every spring as well. The soil needs to be in morning sun, afternoon sun and preferably evening shade. This will keep the vegetables you plant from becoming dehydrated as they would if planted in full sun. If you plant in full shade, you will not get the required amount of photosynthesis for plant reproduction and healthy growth. Its a trial and error thing, what works one year might not work the next.

Answer 2

Well-drained sandy or silt loam.

Answer 3

Loam.