Agricultural Extension Service

The University of Tennessee

SP 291-C

Vegetables
Soil Preparation for Vegetable Gardens
R. Allen Straw, Assistant Professor, Plant Sciences
Originally developed by David W. Sams, Professor Emeritus, Plant and Soil Science

The first step in preparing vegetable gardens for plant- of soil. Place the soil in a clean plastic bucket and mix
ing is cleaning the site. Remove boards, rocks, old plant thoroughly. Metal containers or those contaminated with
supports and general debris. Cut or chop weeds and crop detergents or other foreign material may cause invalid
residue. If the residue is free of disease and mature weed recommendations.
seed, the material may be worked into the soil or composted. Avoid irregular areas in the garden when collecting a
Otherwise, it should be discarded. Bulky plant material, soil sample. Do not collect soil samples from areas where
like corn stalks, will need to be chopped before it is incor- water stands, heavy amounts of ashes have been dumped
porated into the soil. or where debris has laid. For the most reliable results, col-
If initiating a new garden into a sodded area, it is lect the samples from the areas most representative of the
beneficial to plow the sod in the late fall or winter. The garden.
heavy root system of the sod will require several months to Soil samples should be taken the same general time
decompose. The excess root mass makes tillage and plant- each year. Remember, the trends observed may be more
ing difficult. As soil organisms begin to decompose large important than the absolute values. Sampling during the
amounts of organic matter, they utilize available nitrogen. fall one year and the spring the next will not allow you to
As the process continues, nitrogen is released that can be observe the trends. If the soil test results report a consistent
used by the plants. However, it is often 45 to 60 days before decrease in phosphorus and potassium levels, then you are
the nitrogen becomes available for the plant to use. not fertilizing enough. If the results show large increases in
the phosphorus and potassium levels, then you are over-fer-
Soil Sampling tilizing. The goal of proper soil fertilization is to gradually
One of the best ways to insure the garden will be increase the nutrient levels of the soil and then maintain
successful is to have a soil test performed. A soil test is them at a medium or high test result.
the only accurate way to determine how much lime and
fertilizer to apply to the garden. However, if the soil test Soil Testing
information is to be accurate, the sample must be collected Obtain a soil sample box and information sheet from
correctly. Use a small trowel or spade to collect samples. a county Agricultural Extension office. Fill the box about
Collect samples from eight to 10 locations throughout the three-fourths full of the thoroughly mixed soil. Care-
garden. The soil should be dry, or at least free of excess fully fill out the information sheet. Request the basic test,
moisture. Collect vertical slices of the top 4 to 6 inches which includes water pH, buffer pH (if needed), as well as
phosphorus and potassium levels. The test results supplies Preplant Fertilization
recommendations for lime, nitrogen, phosphate and potash. Apply fertilizer to garden sites in accordance with the
Send your soil sample to: Soil Testing Laboratory, 5201 soil test recommendations. In the absence of a soil test, use
Marchant Drive, Nashville, TN 37211. Return the informa- two to three pounds of 6-12-12 fertilizer or its equivalent
tion sheet separately to the above address with a check, not per 100 square feet of garden area. Broadcast the fertilizer
cash, for $6. Allow two weeks to receive the results of the evenly over the soil surface and incorporate it into the top 6
test. inches of soil.

Liming Soil Preparation

Lime should be applied to the garden according to soil Be careful not to work garden soils when they are too
test recommendations. Proper liming should adjust the soil wet. If water can be squeezed from a handful of soil or
pH to the correct range (6.0 to 6.5 for most vegetables). The if the squeezed lump of soil does not break apart when
proper soil pH promotes root development, optimizes nutri- dropped, it is too wet to work. Working wet soil forms
ent availability, reduces the incidence of certain physiologi- clods that become extremely hard as they dry and are en-
cal disorders (blossom end rot) and reduces incidences of tirely unsuitable for a seedbed. Clods significantly reduce
certain diseases (Fusarium wilt). Do not over-apply lime, soil-to-seed contact, which can severely reduce germina-
as high soil pH reduces nutrient availability and causes tion of vegetable crops, especially small-seeded species.
nutrient imbalances. It may be difficult to work some soils early enough in
A soil test report recommends the pounds of ground the spring to plant cool-season crops by the recommended
limestone to apply per 1,000 square feet of garden area. If planting date. Sometimes these soils may be improved by
hydrated lime is used, it should be applied at three-fourths establishment of drainage ditches, tiling, addition of sand
the recommended rate of ground limestone. Hydrated lime or incorporation of organic material. Perhaps a part of the
reacts more quickly with the soil. However, it is more ex- garden area that is higher than the rest may be used for the
pensive and much more difficult to spread. earliest planting.
Ground limestone will be most effective if applied sev-
eral weeks before the garden is planted. If you soil sample Fall Soil Preparation and Ridging
in the fall, lime can be applied prior to the establishment Another solution is to work a portion of the garden in
of the cover crop. A fall application gives the lime several the fall, and to make 6- to 8-inch tall ridges in the area.
months to react with the soil prior to planting. However, if a Due to the increased surface area and improved drain-
lime application is recommended, it is better to apply lime age, the ridges will warm up and dry out earlier than the
just prior to planting than not to apply it at all. remainder of the garden. However, keep in mind that the
Broadcast lime evenly over the garden area, and work ridges will stay dryer throughout the season; therefore, ir-
it into the top 6 inches of soil. Depending on the soil type, rigation may need to be used later in the growing season.
fertilizer practices and environmental conditions, a lime ap- If fertilizer is applied in the fall, these ridges can often
plication should not be required more than every two to five be used for the earliest planting without further tillage or
years. Do not apply heavy concentrations of lime around preparation. Nitrogen will be lost when using this system.
the base of plants or sprinkle it over plants in an attempt However, it can be easily replaced with timely sidedress ap-
to control insects. This practice can raise the pH above the plications. Please refer to the factsheet in this series entitled
desired level and result in reduced production. Care of the Vegetable Garden (SP 291-D) for information
concerning sidedressing.

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http://www.utextension.utk.edu/

SP291C-2M-6/03(Rev) E12-5115-00-020-03
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COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and county governments cooperating in furtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914.
Agricultural Extension Service Charles L. Norman, Dean