Good soil is the formula for gardening success Imagine the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive unit taking the field ... without a football. Better yet, how about Michael Jordan on the end of a fast break, poised to fly to the hoop for a glorious, in your face, dunk ... but there's no basketball. Well, in the realm of landscaping and gardening there is also one essential element you cannot possibly do without, and that's good soil. The importance of good soil is often overlooked. In our zeal to finally plant that special tree, or group of colorful perennials we've ordered from our garden catalogue, we sometimes forget that no plants, flowers, vegetables, or even lawns will thrive and succeed long term unless supported by good soil. Simply, it is the starting point and most important element in gardening, bar none. So, what specifically is the value of good soil, and how do we achieve it? First, soil must function as a growing medium. It must afford the roots of plants - from the mighty oak to the tiny cherry tomato plant - to grow and up-take essential nutrients and water to all parts of their systems. Soil texture is also of strategic importance. It affects drainage, root growth and a plant's stability. An easy test for texture is to squeeze a handful of lightly moistened soil. Soil with a good texture will form a ball that is easily broken with your fingers. Very sandy soil will not form a ball, while clay soil will form a clump that will not easily fall apart. Larry Sotnick is owner of Sotnick Landscaping, Monroe. He has been in the landscaping business since 1976 and resides with his family in Monroe. He can be reached by calling (732) 521-0778. Another quality of good soil is its nutritive value. Soil can be thought of as an organism, teaming with life and nutrients. These soil nutrients must not only be present, but also be available. This is where pH (the measure of relative acidity or alkalinity of the soil) comes into play. If pH is too high or too low the nutrients become insoluble and cannot be taken up by the plant's roots. A good pH is around 7 (considered neutral). Soils with pH 1 through 6.5 are acid (most evergreens prefer a slightly acid soil). Soils 7.5 through 10 are alkaline. For plants to up-take nutrients from soil, the soil must contain the proper pH level. The best way to know if you are in the proper range is to have your soil tested. This way you have an idea of what you have and then how to amend it according to your gardening needs. To get a soil testing kit you can write to: Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County at 390 George St., New Brunswick, N.J. 08903. Include a check for $10 for the kit and follow the directions carefully. Once you've mailed the kit in, generally it will take two to four weeks to get your analysis back. There are numerous other benefits to developing good soil. Drainage in and around your yard is very important and soil structure plays a key role in drainage. Plants and gardens with good soil sub-surfaces will not have to sit in watery conditions for extended periods of time. Achieving good soil can be done through soil amendments. Adding top soil, nutrients, compost, peat moss and even worms, can change the balance of your growing medium. Another important aspect of soils is percolation. This is the rate at which water is absorbed into the ground. You can perform a simple test to see if your subsurface promotes good drainage. Dig a hole 12 inches wide and 12 inches deep. Fill the hole with water. If the water drains out within four hours you are OK. If it doesn't, you may consider plans for a subsurface drainage system. Performing this kind of test before you spend hundreds of dollars on plant material is always advisable. A simple device landscape architects use is called "berming." Here, planting is done on a raised mound of topsoil, anywhere from 12 inches to 36 inches high. Besides creating a pleasing visual accent, the berm affords easy root growth and good drainage for the plant material. Learning about your existing soil conditions and amending them to improve their composition, health and productivity is the most essential thing you can do in gardening. Don't be stingy; any extra effort and moneys you can dedicate at the planning stage of your garden will pay for itself many times over in successful plants, larger harvests, and greater drought or insect tolerance. A plant's success or failure, many times, can be figuratively written in the dirt. Soils that are rich with productive nutrients, good structure, and proper pH levels can overcome a host of other deficiencies. Hey, I think the sun's coming out. Let's get digging!