How to Amend Sandy Soils

Soil amendments improve the characteristics of soils. Sandy soils have the properties of not retaining moisture. Amending sandy soils is adding materials to improve not only the water retention capacity, but nutrient retention as well. Adding materials to sandy soils is an ongoing process that may have to be performed every year before planting season. Consistently adding materials to sandy soil will build the soil and improve its growing capacity.

Soil test

Rototiller

Organic compost

Peat moss

Fertilizer

Collect soil samples from the sandy garden area. Mix the soil together and allow it to dry. Deliver the sample to your local agricultural extension service for analysis.

Cultivate the area with the rototiller. Work the soil as deep as possible. The entire site should be cultivated once with the rototiller tines set to its deepest penetration.

Layer 3 to 4 inches of organic compost over the sandy garden site. Incorporate the compost into the soil with the rototiller. This may take two passes over the area. The compost increases the humus content of the sandy soil, which improves the soil texture.

Add 3 cubic yards of peat moss per 1,000 square feet of garden area. Cultivate this into the sandy soil. Two passes will be required to fully incorporate the peat moss into the soil. Peat moss aids in moisture retention.

Broadcast the recommended fertilizer, over the garden site, based upon the soil test results. Work the fertilizer into the soil with the rototiller. The fertilizer adds the required nutrients for plant growth.

Typically to work amendments into the soil takes at least five to six full passes with a rototiller to fully incorporate the materials. In severely depleted soils, it may take more passes to break down hard clumps.

Never cultivate soils that are extremely wet, even the best loam soils will become tightly compacted.