It is easy to see
when a plant is bothered by a disease of its foliage
or insects chewing away on the leaves. However, when
the problem is below the ground level, it is more of
a mystery. Landscape plants need a good quality soil
to do their best. Unfortunately, many of our
landscape soils do not fit the bill.
If there is one way
to prevent these problems, it is to fit the proper
plant to the proper soil. For small plans such as
annuals and
herbaceous perennials, it is possible to
amend enough soil to create a good environment for
the roots.
Trees
and large shrubs may have very extensive root zones
and it becomes impossible to amend enough depth and
area of soil to make a difference over their long
lifespan. These plants have to survive in the soil
that you happen to have in your landscape. So,
choosing trees and shrubs adapted to your soils is
very important.
Following is a
listing of some articles which address some of the
most common issues that come up with soils in the
home landscape.
