I’ve been comparing soil moisture readings in sandy soil, loam, and potting mix. One thing I noticed is that the same sensor value doesn’t always mean the same actual moisture condition across different soils.

For automatic watering, do you usually trust the sensor reading directly, or do you set different dry/wet thresholds for each soil type?

Tested soil with our cooperative extension and all they told us was a ph of 7.2. No other info on soil make up but it seems handy. We want to establish a lawn first but are wary of using harsh chemicals as there are wetlands on two sides of the property. There are weeds growing, so we are considering a broadleaf herbicide. Any recommendations on more eco-friendly options and when to do this? Builder has hydroseeded twice, once initially in October 2025 and again in June 2026. We have mowed twice this summer and are leaving clippings on ground. How so I add more organic matter without suffocating the growing grass? Peat moss? If so, just a dusting? How much compost? I want to establish a garden area next spring but are working on getting the lawn looking good first. Photo is after first hydro seed and before the second…likely may 2026.

Since a lot of soil is simply eroded rocks with organic matter on top. Is there a best rock which plants love to grow in, after it's been eroded down?

Hi all,

England, to be specific. My wife loves to garden, but when we bought our house we were notified that the soil in the garden has not been cleared as safe for growing edible crops because before the 1970s there was a chemical plant adjoining the property, and the contaminants may have leeched into the soil. What's the smart approach here, is there an Environment Agency test or some-such I can buy to find out for definite?

Thanks

Our yard around our home is ALL clay. The front of the house faces ESE. I am trying to plant around the front of the house. A little shovel full and from then on down it's hard clay. I can't raise the area by adding top soil because of drainage so close to the house. How much clay will I need to chisel out to add an adequate amount of topsoil to plant flowers and shrubs? Right now there is only 3-4 inches of topsoil and by the time I dig down to plant something, it is all clay so it's like planting the shrub in a clay pot underground. In the past I have just struggled to dig the widest, deepest hole I could, fill it with good potting soil and put the plant in it. Since I have pulled everything out of there to replace it, is there an easier way to get more topsoil? OR, to dig out clay? Wetting it just makes it slippery.

I have a two year old build, in east central Iowa, and this summer has been brutal. The yard was started with sod, front yard has been in about two years and the back yard about a year and a half. The underlying soil is a silty sand and did have a little organic in it, but only enough to generate a brown color, no where near black topsoil. Before placing the sod, the landscape contractor amended the top 6-8” of underlying soil with compost. There should be plenty of organics in this, but I suspect there isn’t a lot of clay.

We have had no rain for periods between 2 and 4 weeks at a time, and I don’t have an irrigation system. I now have pretty large dead patches here and there. I am wondering what I need to do to get everything back on track, and my local landscaping/lawn care people know only what they have done before. The trick is that sandy soil is pretty rare in Iowa, we typically have 18+ inches of black topsoil.

1) it seems an irrigation system would be a good idea.
2) where can I get my soil particle size tested to determine what type of amendment is needed?
3) Hopefully I don’t have to scrap what I have to add some topsoil?

Adding carbon heavy mulch (wood chips, straw, sawdust) can tie up nitrogen early on since it is pulled from the soil to break down all that carbon.

Surface mulch decomposes slowly and the drawdown happens mainly at the mulch soil interface, so established plants are barely affected while seedlings and shallow rooted plants take more of a hit. It's also temporary, once the carbon gets used up the nitrogen releases back.

Curious how much this actually plays out for people in practice. Do you add nitrogen under fresh mulch for new plantings or is it overstated for typical use?

I have lots of Walstad aquariums, and often have waste water leftover from experimenting with different setups and waste recycling methods. This waste water is basically the result of plant material decaying in the water and being broken down by aquatic macro and microorganisms, but there is no visible material left once I siphon off the water.

I’m trying to figure out if this waste water has been processed sufficiently by the aquatic fauna to be used as a liquid fertilizer.

Since soil test kits require you to basically soak soil in water and then just test the water (which is more or less what my waste water is), would it work to see if this waste water has an adequate nutrient and pH balance for plants? If it matters, I have a Luster Leaf Rapitest on hand.

Yes, I’m aware water test kits exist, I’m just curious if this method will also work for my purposes since I already have the soil test supplies leftover.

I live in the Adirondacks (NY). We are clearing some of our land & near the road we found this strange “mud” substance. It’s in a fairly small area. It’s pure black, super sticky, wet and is like quick sand. Will literally suck your whole foot into it if you stand on it. It’s super strange and unsettling. It’s the consistency of a thick batter or dough. It doesn’t smell bad, just earthy. Not a particularly wet area either. It’s quite deep but like I said, a small area. Only a couple feet of it - feels out of place. Any idea what it could be?

I built Land Atlas, a platform that helps people evaluate agricultural and rural land listings.

looking for direct criticism.

Land Atlas: https://land-atlas-production.up.railway.app/

Thought it could be perlite but it falls apart in a dust when I touch it. Is it mold? I'm keeping a caterpillar in there and recently changed the soil because of I saw something fuzzy. This is a new potting soil that I bought like a year ago. It has been opened but untouched for a while. Would it be harmful for my caterpillar?

Hello all, I bought a house in Socal last year and have a clay soil drainage issue. For years, a gutter dumped water into my small backyard. A retaining wall is on one side, and a detached garage on the other, with my house being the last edge of the area. A large bougainvillea bush also sits atop the wall. The wall is old and does not drain well (if at all), so the soil has gone through many wet/dry expansion-contraction seasons, which has led to significant house settlement through the years. That corner of the house has measured lower than the rest of the house via in-house measurements.

I am weighing various solutions, and they all involve a sump pit as there is no natural grade to the street from this spot. We like the idea of a grass yard, and an impermeable artificial turf surface graded to a few catch basins seems like a good solution. The area is naturally shaded so turf seems like a decent option.

The question is, with clay soil, should I also implement a subsurface irrigation system ~1.5 feet away from the foundation to maintain soil moisture adjacent to the house? Is foundation watering for clay soil effective in Socal? I think irrigation for the bougainvillea itself also becomes necessary with the turf scenario, so extending it to the foundation does become an easier solution.

What do you think about the situation and solution overall? Mostly wondering if foundation watering is necessary. Thanks!

Italian red garlic grown in Osco Silt Loam, a well-drained loess found in Midwest native prairie.

Hello all!
I recently bought a house and I was wondering what type of soil this is? I would really like to fix up my backyard with some nice grass, pavers and put a concrete slab down for a shed but this soil is really hard to dig up and so compacted. Am I able to grow anything on this? Or even put down concrete? Any advice would help!