To grow plants well in West Texas, you must first understand your soil. A soil analysis performed by Texas A&M Agrilife soil testing laboratory is the place to start. A soil test can give you an idea of the amount of organic matter contained in your soil but the more important thing that the test can help determine initially is soil salinity and fertility. There is little that you can do to immediately change the texture of your soil so asking for an analysis of its texture has limited usefulness.
Most West Texas soils are somewhat sandy but heavily composed of limestone. Its going to take a little time to improve your soil properties and this is most effectively done by amending the soil with organic material.
Arid West Texas soils can’t easily be changed without digging it all up and starting over with lots of new material from some alluvial (mineral rich deposits from flowing water) source and that’s simply not practical for the homeowner.
The solution to improving soil performance is to incorporate lots of well composted organic material. For now lets just stick to foundational reason to begin your gardening experience with a soil test.
As pH increases, nutrients like iron, manganese, copper and zinc become less available for use by plants regardless of their concentrations. Iron is a particular problem for development of healthy and productive plants since it’s a primary component in chlorophyll.
Plants often exhibit symptoms of yellowing between the veins of leaves. Visually described as interveinal chlorosis, this problems leads to a diminished carbohydrate production through photosynthesis and reduced vigor or in extreme cases, starvation of the plant to the point of dying.
So what’s the solution? Many people add chelated iron to the soil but this is temporary and must be repeated. Most astute gardeners add organic matter to the soil and make an effort to select plants that are tolerant of our pH. Some gardeners recommend the of use fertilizers that help decrease the pH but again, if there is any effect at all, it is temporary and limited.
So for now, just start with an understanding of what kind of soil you have by having it tested. You’d be surprised by how rarely this is done. Too often folks spend their hard earned dollars on plants they have no knowledge of and plug them into soil they have no information about. A soil test is a must.
