No matter how elaborate or simple you landscaping designs are, in the end it all boils down to the quality of the soil. Determining the condition of the soil is one for the most important processes that precedes any landscaping project.

Soil is made up of minerals and other organic and inorganic particles. If your soil is a blend of tiny particles then you are dealing with clay soil. Clay soil tends to soak up all the water and if left untreated can drown your plants. Sandy soil consisting larger particles allow water to quickly seep through it before roots can absorb it. Both clay and sandy soil can be corrected by organic treatments. Loam soil is ideal for landscaping and gardening.

One cannot overemphasize the need to get the nutrient level of the soil tested before you start planting. There are many labs that can tell you various things about the soil, ranging from what kind of soil it is, whether it has the right blend of nutrients to aid your plant’s growth, what is the ph level, etc. Depending on the nutrition level of the soil, you can add the right kind of fertilizers to overcome the deficiencies. It is usually easy to find these labs and most of them do a test for a nominal fee.