If you live in an area with a chalky terrain you may have chalky soil in your garden which can be a problem. Chalky soil is usually deficient in certain nutrients and some plants will not thrive in this type of soil. However, all is not lost and with some hard work and plant knowhow a flourishing garden can be achieved.
It is essential that any new beds are well dug over with well-rotted compost and possibly bought topsoil. Try not to dig down too deeply as this will just bring the chalky soil up to the surface which will not be helpful. Regular mulching of beds and borders will be beneficial in autumn to prepare the ground for planting in the spring.
As chalky soil is so porous routine watering may need to be increased to prevent the soil drying out. Setting up an irrigation system from a rainwater butt is a good idea especially if you are growing fruit and vegetable plants which require a lot of water to grow well.
Choosing the right plants is important when you have chalky soil as some plants will not tolerate the amount of lime that is found in this type of soil so do your research before planting.