It’s important to know what sort of soil you have in your garden. This can help you work out what plants will grow best.
Sydney has two major soil types:
- sandy soils, which come from Hawkesbury sandstone
- clay soils, which come from shales or volcanic rocks.
Some soils may be a mix of the two. Some plants only grow well on one of these soil types, while others can adapt and will grow on both.
Before you choose plants for your garden find out what varieties suit your soil type. Read the label before you buy a plant, as this usually includes information on the soil type suited to that plant.
Look after your soil and what lives in it
- help aerate our soils
- help water to penetrate more deeply
- eat fallen plant matter and convert it into nutrients for plants.
Microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and tiny worms, are also essential for healthy soils. These organisms:
- help plants take up nutrients or change nutrients into a form plants can absorb
- help break down dead plant or animal matter
- reduce the likelihood of plant diseases.