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GLT's Grow: The Dirt On Soil

Natural Resources Conservation
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Flickr via Creative Commons

One of  the most important elements of a great yard and garden is healthy soil.  In this edition of GLT's Grow, host Patrick Murphy talks about the different types of soil and why you should get your soil tested to better understand how it can work best for you.

*Soil has orders, similar to the genus in species in all living creatures.

* The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an organization called The Natural Resource Soil Conservation Service, which surveys soil across America. 

*Soil is ever changing because the use of the land changes, plus the environment changes.

*There are many different classifications of soils.  All soils have a certain percentage of sand, silt and clay.  And within that percentage there's different kinds of sand, silt and clay particles.  So, yes, soil can be complicated.

*But you can figure out your own soil by sending a sample to your local University Extension Office.For a minor expense, they will give you an analysis of your soil.  The test might indicate why you're having problems with growing certain plants.  The test will give you a chance to figure out what plants work best in your particular, complicated soil.

Reporter, content producer and former All Things Considered host, Laura Kennedy is a native of the Midwest who occasionally affects an English accent just for the heck of it. Related to two U.S. presidents, Kennedy appalled her family by going into show business.