Test Soil
- Collect a handful of moist soil and squeeze it to assess texture: gritty and crumbling indicates sand; smooth and holding shape loosely indicates loam; sticky and forming a ribbon indicates clay.
- Dig a hole approximately 30 cm (12 in) deep and wide. Fill with water, let it drain, fill again, and time the second drain. Under one hour is excessive; one to four hours is well-drained; over four hours is poorly drained.
- Use a home soil test kit or send a sample to the cooperative extension service to determine pH. Record the result and compare to the target plant’s preferred range.
- Note the color and smell of the soil: dark color and earthy smell indicate good organic matter content; pale or grey soil suggests low organic matter.
- Record texture, drainage time, and pH in the site profile.