How to Know if You Have Well-Draining Soil, According to Gardening Pros

A flourishing garden is a sight to behold, but its initial stages were likely far from picturesque. As you get your own outdoor hideaway started, you’re probably very aware of just how much dedication it requires. There’s the schlepping of tools and the clearing of a plot, followed by choosing what to grow and how much space to give the seeds. Checking on sunlight is a must, of course, as is getting rid of pests and weeds. Oh, and soil? This vital component is an ongoing conversation with gardeners, and how well it drains is a topic that will likely come up again and again as you meet fellow green thumbs. If you’re not sure what well-draining soil is, Angela Judd, owner and founder of Growing in the Garden, can help.

“Well‑draining soil absorbs water quickly but lets the excess drain away in a reasonable time, leaving air pockets between the soil particles,” she says. “These pockets keep roots from sitting in water, supply the oxygen roots need, and help prevent problems like rot, nutrient lockup, and disease.”

As with many components underscoring a successful garden, sometimes it’s tough to know if your soil is the culprit behind less-than-stellar growth. “Your plants will show yellow leaves and stop growing when the soil does not drain well,” says Vandana Koranne, the founder of Humans Who Grow Food. “The roots will decay, too, because they cannot absorb enough oxygen.” To learn more about what well-draining soil is, how to tell if you have it, and ways to maintain it, Judd and Koranne are sharing their wisdom below.

What Is Well-Draining Soil—And How to Know if It’s Not Draining

As Judd mentioned, well-draining soil saturates the roots of your plants without drowning them in water. “Well-draining soil allows water to drain through it quickly,” Koranne adds. “Plant roots remain healthy in well-draining soil.” Judd says that you have well-draining soil if plant leaves stay green and full, the soil looks dry on the surface in your day-to-day watering, and new growth is evident. Other signs that your soil might not be draining correctly is a sour smell around the roots when you dig, fungus gnats, algae, moss, or a sudden drop in leaf production.

But what if you have a plot that needs new plants? To check whether the soil you have will drain correctly in the future, Judd suggests digging a test hole. “Fill it with water, let it empty, then fill it again. The second filling should drain within about an hour,” she notes. Noticing that your soil doesn’t drain correctly isn’t the end of the world. All you need is some backup.

“You can improve your soil by adding nutrient rich compost, shredded leaves, or aged manure,” Koranne says. “You can also chop all plant waste and add it back to the soil at the end of the season.”

How to Keep Your Soil Draining Correctly

Perhaps the biggest lesson to keep in mind on this topic is to not overwater your plants. Giving your plants too much water means that the soil won’t have time to drain correctly between sessions, creating issues.

“As gardeners, we often overwater because we feel we should be doing something—but you can love your plants too much,” Judd says. “Check the soil before you water and let it tell you when moisture is needed. If your plants aren’t growing well, poor drainage, not a lack of water, could be the real issue.”

Besides overwatering, you’ll also want to make sure that your plants are cared for as they grow. Prune leaves away from the base to deter pests and disease, and make sure to harvest what’s ripe. Eating fresh veggies and herbs, or enjoying the beauty of newly cut flowers in a vase, will also keep your garden growing strong. As for your learning curve? lt’s all part of the process of honing your skills as a gardener, Koranne says.

“We went from growing grass and a few veggie plants in pots to removing all grass from the property and growing only edible plants and pollinator flowers in our small urban lot,” she adds. “This happened over a period of many years, and we still continue to make changes as we learn from our mistakes.”