The dirt in my yard is hard but sandy how should I prepare it so that?

Hi Ramona,

Looks like your question was cut off, what are you preparing your dirt for?

They sell bags of soil additive now made just for clay at the home improvement stores or you can order it online. They have the same for sandy soil. Basically you need to add loam and roto-till it into the soil then plant it. Buy grass seed native to your area or that is bred for sandy base soil. Hope this helps Ramona.

Hello Ramona,

Soil tests are always recommended every few years. Most every speaker in my master gardeners class recommend this for optimal way to address your soil and lawn and garden circumstances. The test box and instructions can be obtained from your local cooperative extension, unless you want your lawn service to do it.

You have to have a good soil to meet your needs to growing healthy dense turf grass and garden results. From there you will find out recommendations to promote the grass growing and landscaping conditions to include fertilize lime ( pH adjustment) aerate and seed. Peemergent lawn weeds can be addressed by a lawn applicantion in the springtime—>here in zone 7 the time the forcythia are blooming.

Please also remember to utilize your local cooperative extension office for any lawn, gardening, garden pest ID and weed Id and remediation problems.

They might be the best option for suggsions for your shady situation. These offices are manned by volunteer master gardeners on site there waiting to answer the communities questions that know your local situation quite well.

Master gardeners are required to volunteer back designated hours ( plus continuing education) each year to maintain MG certification -this community outreach and education is their goal. If the MG cant answer your question on the spot—-they often send out specimens to the local universities —my office utilizes Virginia Tech for plant, insect, or disease identification.

Hope this helps!

You can mix some peat into it to give it some richness for planting

Rototill or dig in topsoil, peat moss and compost.