Garden Primer – Do a Mason Jar Soil Test
Food Storage, Gardening, and Self-Reliance for Busy Moms
Every year in the spring I do a mason jar soil test to see the soil structure in my garden. It helps me decide if I need to make any amendments to the soil. This is a simple and easy test to take if you are creating a new garden area, you’ve recently moved, or you want to do a cool experiment with your kids.
Knowing the structure of your soil will help you determine how much water and fertilizer your plants will need, and what soil amendments to make. Your soil is a mass of mineral particles, water, air, and dead organic matter. The size and form of those particles make up the basic soil structure.
An understanding of your soil is perhaps the most important aspect of gardening and will give you the best success.
Clay is the smallest mineral component. These tiny flat particles fit closely together to create the greatest surface area of all soil types. Clay soil contains needed nutrients and also stores water well. So well in fact, that drainage is slow in clay soil. It is also the slowest to warm in the spring.
Sand makes up the largest particles in soil structure. These are rounded, rather than flat and allows for larger space between the particles. Water drains quickly from the soil that has a lot of sand and the nutrients drain faster too. If your soil is mostly sand the plants will need more water and fertilizer.
Silt represents the middle size pieces. It is made up of rock and mineral particles that are larger than clay but smaller than sand. Individual silt particles are so small that they are difficult to see. To be classified as silt, a particle must be less than .005 centimeters (.002 inches) across.
The combination of these three particles is called loam and is considered the ideal garden soil. Knowing how close (or far) you are from loam will help you decide what amendments to make this spring planting season.
To calculate the type of soil texture in your garden, use the this graphic by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (image below). Just check out where the lines cross on the Soil Texture Triangle map to learn what type of soil you have in your garden.
For instance, if your jar test is 20% clay, 40% Silt, 40% sand = Loam, you have the perfect combination. You’ve been working hard in your garden!
Do your calculations:
30% clay, 60% silt, 10% sand = Silty Clay Loam
15% clay, 20% silt, 65% sand = Sandy Loam
15% clay, 65% silt, 20% sand = Silty Loam.
You can also use the NRSC’s Soil Texture calculator on their official website or download the interactive Excel version of the Soil Texture Triangle (you’ll need to have macros enabled to use the document).
Soil type influences the amount of water and air that can reach plants’ root systems. If the soil is too dense like wet clay, the roots will suffer from oxygen depletion. Clay soil also drains slower than other two types of soil, which means that the soil remains soggy, which can lead to root rot.
On the other hand, clay soil is rich in certain nutrients some need to thrive. That’s why, you need to achieve a great balance between the three soil textures.
By contrast, sandy soils drain too quickly which may leave plants without the much needed water. They also lack the nutrients clay soil have and because of these they are usually infertile. But a sandy soil is much easier to work with than clay soil and because it is so loose it is preferred by some plants, onion and carrots included, because it allows them to easily expand their root system. A loose soil is loved by potatoes too for the same reason.
Plant growth is affected by the texture of the soil not just by nutrients, sun exposure, and watering. Soil texture influence three features of soil every gardener should take into account when starting a vegetable garden:
Soil permeability shows how fast air and water can reach a plant’s root system. Roots need not only water to survive, they need air too.
Water-holding ability refers to the level of drainage a type of soil has, while workability means how easy a type of soil is to work with as a gardener when doing maintenance work such as tilting.
You can fix most of the issues tied to a too dense soil or a too permeable soil, and so on with various amendments. The most critical one is adding organic matter, which can offset the disadvantages of having too much of a type of inorganic matter (clay, silt, or sand). Organic matter along with sand, clay, and silt merge to create clusters known as aggregates. The way aggregates are present in soil gives soil structure.
Soil structure is primarily important for plant growth. A poor soil structure will impact negatively, the amount of water and air a plant has access to, nutrient availability in soil, and microbial life activity (microbes in soil help break down organic matter and improve soil structure or at least prevent it from getting worse.)
Depending on soil structure, soil can be easily destroyed. Excessive tilting when the soil is too dry or too wet can lead to damage to its structure. Also, driving heavy machinery over wet soil can compact it and prevent it from properly driving water, air, and nutrients to plants’ roots.
You can see examples of soil structure damage on forest roads or unpaved countryside roads after heavy rainfall. If heavy equipment has compressed the soil, you’ll notice large pools of water on the road as the soil particles are too tight to allow proper drainage.
Common amendments include:
• Yard trimmings compost – Sometimes sold as “garden compost,” yard trimmings compost is the most widely available material suitable for high-rate incorporation into soil. Private composting companies usually produce it.
• Leaves from deciduous trees – Leaves are perhaps the best and most readily available organic matter source for vegetable gardens or other areas that get some annual tillage. Ask your friends to save their leaf bags for you. Don’t let them go to waste in a landfill!
• Crop residues – Fresh or composted crop residues may be available from nearby farms, tree-trimming companies, or even your own kitchen. Uncomposted crop residues may contain weed seeds, while properly composted residues are weed-free. Make your own kitchen compost bin.
• Animal manures and manure composts – Many manures and manure composts have high soluble nitrogen, ammonia, or salt content, or high pH (above 8)In general, it is best to avoid manure and manure composts for high-rate applications to planting beds. Use manures in small amounts to replace nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium fertilizers.
You should amend a poor soil structure before you grow anything in the soil, especially if we’re talking about veggies and annual flowers. It is best to use amendments that are gentle and break down slowly. Like we said adding organic matter to the soil is the best way to go. Microbial life in the soil will break down the organic nutrients into humus, which is a boon for your plants.
Compost, shredded bark, and peat moss break down slowly, the last two taking years to completely turn into humus. Compost doesn’t need that much time to break down (several months is enough), but it is rich in nutrients your soil and plants desperately need.
Also, a boost in nutrients means that the microorganisms in soil will be able to better aerate the soil, increase the amount of hummus in soil, and protect root systems from fungi and diseases.
If the soil is left unamended, it might be too dry or dense for new plants’ roots to grow. If plants do manage to grow in such soils, they might get stunted or just die in the process. If you need to plant crops, amend the soil before you plant anything in it. Manure takes just a few weeks to break down, which makes it a great amendment n the short run.
In milder climates with rainy winters, you can amend the soil every year after fall cleanup. In climates with rainy springs and winters, amend the soil in spring before planting the crops.
For annuals and vegetables, organic matter needs to be spread evenly on the soil and worked into the soil down to 9 inches. You can do this job manually or use a rototiller. Loamy soils need a 2 to 3 inch layer of organic matter. If the soil is sandy or mostly clay, add 4 to 5 inches of organic matter to it and work it in at a depth of 9 inches.
If you stick by the 9 inch rule, you’ll have a top layer that is 50% amendment and 50% original soil (clay or sand). Just like loamy soil, soils that are amended regularly need just a layer of 2-3 inches of amendment. When it comes to annuals and vegetables, amend the soil BEFORE you plant any crop.
For shrubs, trees, and perennials, you don’t have to stick to the 9 inch rule as you might damage their root systems in the process. Just spread the organic matter over soil and let rain, earthworms, and beneficial bugs get the nutrients within the soil.
If the shrub, tree or perennial doesn’t have a shallow root system, you could help earthworms, water, and beneficial bugs, by working the amendments into soil but not lower than one inch.
Many problems with home vegetable gardens, fruit trees, shrubs, and flower gardens are caused not by pests, diseases, or a lack of nutrients, but by poor soil physical conditions.
Symptoms of poor soil quality include the following.
Download this handy publication, Improving Garden Soils with Organic Matter to learn more ways to improve your soil and happy gardening!
Other gardening ideas found at PreparednessMama:
The Gardeners Arsenal – 10 Things to Spray, Sprinkle & Brew for Garden Pest Control
Slug It Out – Natural Slug Solutions
4 Permaculture Principles Every Gardener Should Embrace
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I look forward to trying this test out. I do not know what my soil is besides rock. Joanne Hughes
Thanks for the tips, Will certainly have to try some of these to help improve my garden.
Is it possible to add clay to the soil? I live in hot, dry, Inland Southern California, and my soil seems sandy/silty (I’m doing your test tonight). It doesn’t drain super fast but dries out SO fast. I’ve added bunches of organic material, but I’d like to figure out a way to have the soil hold a bit more water for longer.
You could add clay, bu I’de careful about how much. Have you tried adding peat moss? it hold a a lot of water too.
Coir helps to retain water as well. It is coconut fiber than comes in bricks, which expand mightily when you add water.
Keep adding organic matter as often as possible, like chopped leaves and compost. Clay is not recommended it would be like making cement. Be patient and good luck
Mary try getting tree mulch, sawdust, they hold moisture very well, and would breakdown in soil be it sandy/ loamy/ or clay. I have used these in gardens in both Oklahoma, and Missouri. What a difference. Some people say NO! But, I have had know problems.
If you add sawdust it is better to add it after having mixed it with an organic material that is highly nutritious and which breaks down faster. Sawdust will definitely hold water, but it will not break down as fast as other natural materials.
Try adding rice hulls from northern California. This is a good organic way to help hold moisture in soil.
I can’t sing the virtues of mulch loudly enough. Keeps the weeds at bay AND holds moisture.
The quality of the soil plays a vital role in making good plant productivity. So, for that you need to identify the features of the soil to determine its ability to support your plants growth and makes better productivity. Soil Test Recommendation
your soil test realy helped me with my soil thanks :}
persent: 40% clay 30% silt 30% sand
The link to the Improving Garden Soils With Organic Matter download isn’t working. Is it still available?
Thanks for pointing that out Colin. I updated the link so it works, but here it is too. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/polk/sites/default/files/MG_Handouts/ec_1561_improving_garden_soil_with_organic_matter.pdf
I think it’s a good idea to mention that people should let the soil settle in the jar with the lid OFF or at least loose. You don’t mention it, but good quality soil full of microorganisms will ferment and can even explode. Ask me how I know this. 😉
Good tip Nicole! I bet that was a mess…
I just laffed, thank you for that!
By the way, you need to add a bit of sodium to the soil sample in order to get an accurate result.
Clay particles clump together into aggregates. Sodium causes them to unbind from each other. Since the aggregates are heavier, they will settle more quickly, skewing your result. (Calcium does the opposite and promotes aggregation. You can add gypsum to clay soils that are puddling/not allowing ANY water to drain to encourage aggregates.)
My professor would have us add a bit of table salt to the sample as a sodium source when we would conduct soil sample tests in the lab.
is this standard test ? can i use it for research project to identify the soil type?
Sorry, I don’t have an answer for that Chanuka
This is great info! I’m going to use it in my soil class at church this week! Your website is awesome Shelle!
Thanks Lucinda, miss you!
This may have already been asked but should I use bottled or tap water or does it matter? Thanks and as a beginning gardener, I love your website!!
I just use tap water for mine, Julie. The water is only used to break up the components of the soil.
Claiify if recommended percentages are by measured by weight or by volume. Various densities (lbs per cu ft) of materials give significantly different results. If observing equal amounts of each material in the jar your soil contains less mass (weight) of organic matter and a greater mass of sand.
I tried the mason jar soil test and cannot see any different color levels of the soil. It is solid dark from top to bottom. Is this good or not.
Mine too 🙁
Hi, I used to do lawn care. I didn’t use pesticides on my clients lawns and they all looked good. I always based my program on detailed soil test results which was expensive by itself. $65 if I opted for their recommendations., but they really improved my lawns.. I would LIKE to know how to do a detailed test on my own. It measured Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Sodium and at least 10 more things I don’t remember off the top of my head. Their recommendations on Calcium sometimes included Hi-Cal Lime as opposed to Dolomitic for tight soils. The owner of the lab said he could teach me how to read their results but, he seemed to change his mind later. It’s money out of his pocket si, I can’t really blame him. Thanks for your help.
compost is for enrichment of the soil nutrients. amendments are things like green sand, DE, bentonite clay, worm casting, mycorrhizae (fungal powder) – to improve drainage and or keeping moisture levels. Coir or peat is a filler but disappears fast and would need repeated application yearly, can be saltly or lack nutrients, thus diluting your soil so to speak. There is plenty of things to amend soils this is just a few. I have heard of ‘spa bead’ being tilled in those are supposedly nontoxic, personally haven’t tried but those would be similar to the little balls you getting in potting soil that hole moisture.
I need help with my test. I don’t see sand. Does sand is always lighter than silt? I only see silt and clay, and organic matter.
I mean a lighter color.
Nice light grey font. Too bad it is so light you can hardly see it! Because of this, I did not read the article.
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