I often mention my veg patch’s clay soil in this column, and that’s because soil type affects what we grow and how. Getting to know your soil is an essential part of becoming a great grower of edible ...

CORVALLIS – Adding organic matter is the best way to improve nearly all kinds of soils. If you’re unsure if your soil needs amendments, take note if it dries and cracks in summer, drains slowly or is ...

Soil is soil, right? In some years, the dirt in your garden yields decent tomatoes and pretty marigolds while in other years nothing much grows. (Maybe squirrels are to blame.) Not so much. There are ...

If you’re having trouble with undersized vegetables, a poor showing of flowers, and/or trees that aren't flourishing, there are only two likely culprits: soil and water. These are going to have the ...

Sandy loam? Loamy soil? There are many terms to describe the ground under your feet. Here's how to determine the composition of your soil -- and why it matters.

Both extremes in soil have their advantages and shortcomings. These soils act the way they do mostly because of the size of the particles that make them up. Sand particles are relatively large (by ...