Sandy soil is made up of large soil particles that don't stick together very well. It has a gritty texture, and is especially common in coastal regions.

Sandy soil

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

As with all types of soil, sandy soil has both its benefits and its drawbacks. Let's start with the positive stuff...

 

Benefits of sandy soil

Good drainage

  • One key advantage of sandy soil is that it drains very quickly after rain. This makes your garden less prone to flooding.

Easy to work with

  • Light sandy soils are noticeably easier to work than heavy clay soils. This is great news if you're planning to do a lot of digging and hoeing! Plants also find it easier to take root in sandy soil.

Warms up quickly

  • When winter ends and temperatures begin to rise, sandy soils warm up a lot faster than clay soils.

 

Problems with sandy soil

Dries out fast

  • Rapid drainage is a double-edged sword! Sandy soil isn't very good at retaining moisture, and certain plants will need to be watered more frequently to compensate for this.

Not enough nutrients

  • Nutrients leach out of sandy soil very quickly, which can leave plants undernourished. Rainfall and routine watering will flush key nutrients away - more so than if you had silty soil or clay soil.

Can be very acidic

  • Sandy soil is often quite acidic. Whether or not this is a problem depends on what type of plants you're trying to grow.

 

What to do if you have sandy soil

Having sandy soil in your garden isn't necessarily a bad thing - as we've seen, this type of soil has advantages as well as disadvantages.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your sandy soil:

  • Use garden compost (or other organic matter) to boost your soil's moisture retention

  • Top dressing can help to improve the quality of your soil over time

  • Water regularly - especially during dry periods - to counteract the soil's rapid drainage

  • Stick to drought-tolerant plants that can flourish in dry soil (e.g. lavender, root vegetables, some geraniums)

If your garden needs a bit of TLC, call Lawn & Weed Expert on 0800 111 4958 to book your FREE lawn survey. We can offer a variety of treatments to get your lawn looking its best.

What's Your Soil Type?   Free Lawn Survey

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