Reading your soil before planting

Before you spend a shilling on seed or fertilizer, your soil tells you what it needs. This lesson walks through the field checks you can do with your own hands — no laboratory required.

What to look for

• Texture: rub moist soil between your fingers. Gritty means sandy (drains fast, needs more organic matter); smooth and sticky means clay (holds water, can waterlog).
• Colour: dark soil usually means more organic matter and fertility; pale or reddish soil often needs feeding.
• Drainage: dig a hole, fill it with water, and see how fast it sinks. Very slow drainage warns of waterlogging risk.