By Kelly Weston, Native Landscapes, a printable PDF version is available here.

The seven principles of Xeriscape

2. Soil Improvement
Soils tend to fall into one of two categories: sand and clay. Clay soil is dense, slow to absorb and release water. If water is applied to clay soil too quickly, it either pools on the surface or rus off. Over watering heavy clay soil can actually drown plants.

On the other hand, sandy soil can’t hold water. Unless irrigated frequently, plants in sandy soils tend to dry out.

To enable your soil to better absorb water and allow for deeper roots, you may need to add a soil amendment before you plant. For most soils adding 1 to 2 inches of organic matter such as compost or well-aged manure to your soil can be beneficial. Rot till the organic matter into the soil at least 6 inches deep.

Note: if you are landscaping with native plants, soil amendments may not be necessary, as they prefer soil that is not too rich. For many of these plants, the only soil preparation necessary is to loosen the soil.