Prep Work.

When we think of gardening, we envision gorgeous, lush bouquets filling vases in our home, succulent tomatoes bursting with flavor, perfect peppers adorning our meals. Basically, most of us think about the end product of our gardening efforts. But how often do you think about what goes into those garden delicacies before you even begin sowing seeds?

I'm guilty. I'll admit it.

When I was a new gardener, I thought only about the destination, not the journey. I'd anxiously await bountiful harvests, then wonder what went wrong when my lone eggplant or misshapen tomatoes hung sadly in the garden. I couldn't understand why my efforts weren't better rewarded...I sowed, watered, pulled weeds...

Then I took the Master Gardener course.

If you have the opportunity to take a Master Gardener course, do it. Yes, it's time consuming—I squeezed in studying for exams while my youngest son was at preschool, and I'd often stay up too late reading the manual. Still, I've never learned so much in such a short period of time as I did with the Master Gardener program.

The most important thing I learned from the gardening gurus was this:

If you don't feed the soil, the soil won't produce anything to feed you.

Seems obvious, doesn't it?

Since my early days of gardening, I've come a long way in feeding our soil. We compost. A lot. In SC we have some very nasty red clay, but our compost goes a long way to enriching the soil. Personally, I choose organic gardening over petroleum-based fertilizers and use Integrated Pest Management instead of harsh pesticides. Leaf mold is also a beautiful thing.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The #1 thing I learned in the Master Gardener course was this:

TEST YOUR SOIL.

Sounds complicated, right?

Actually, it's amazingly easy, particularly if you have a cooperative extension near you. We are lucky to have Clemson Extension nearby, which offers soil testing for a mere $6. SIX DOLLARS. For $6, you receive a comprehensive report that tells you the soil's pH, the amount of the major nutrients and elements, such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, found in your soil, and specific recommendations of what you need to add to your soil, depending upon what crops you want to grow.

$6. That's about the cost of a pound of heirloom tomatoes.

So, you ask, how do I score one of those incredibly beneficial reports for my garden?

Dig in.

Yes, gardening friends, the only way you can find out exactly what is in your soil is to get your hands dirty. (I assume, if you're reading this, that you're not afraid of ruining a manicure by getting some soil under your nails.) Of course, you can also wear gloves.

It's time to take a soil sample.

Taking a soil sample can be done anytime throughout the year, but ideally you'll want to take your sample in fall or early spring, when you're preparing for the next season's garden. If you need to add amendments like lime, the soil will have time to absorb the necessary nutrients. So, are you ready? Here's what to do:

1. Use a clean shovel or trowel.
2. Make a “V”-shaped hole, six to eight inches deep, in the areas where you want to plant.
3. Take a thin slice of of soil from the side of the “V” shape. If you're testing soil for the lawn, you can take cores of only three to six inches.
4. Place the sample in a clean bucket. Think you're done? Not yet...
5. Rinse and repeat. You need to collect at least 12 samples and combine them into one composite sample. Add each sample to the bucket and mix thoroughly. Now you have a good representation of the existing soil in your garden.
6. Take at least two cups of soil per sample to your county extension office. When you drop off your sample, you'll receive some paperwork, asking what you wish to plant,etc. The more information you provide, the better analysis and recommendations you'll receive.
7. Read your report carefully and make the recommended amendments to help your garden thrive.

Now, I know it seems like a hassle...but truly, if you're going to invest a lot of time in growing a garden, an hour spent taking soil samples and submitting them to a lab is really worth the effort. After all, when you're waiting for those juicy, succulent heirloom tomatoes to ripen, you're going to really wish you had added lime to the soil if you end up with ugly blossom end rot...and nasty tomatoes. (Calcium helps prevent blossom end rot, as well as consistent watering, which you can also control.)

So—get out there! Clean your trowel and scoop up some soil! Find your nearest extension office, and get your samples turned in. Your garden will thank you with a lush harvest...

Happy digging!

Julie