Lean soils, Rich soils. Whats the difference?

A healthy, productive soil is the foundation of every healthy, productive garden. No amount of water or fertilizer can make up for poor quality of soil. Therefore, preparing the soil properly will make all the deference to your garden. Soil is made up of four main components: minerals and trace elements, water, air and organic matter. •The mineral component is the non-living material in the soil •Water in the soil refers to the capacity of the soil keep water in its structure. A good soil can drain well but at the same time keeps sufficient amounts of water for plants to do best. •Air in the soil has the same gases as the air in the atmosphere. However, air in the soil does not move as freely. The root system of plants needs oxygen and lack of oxygen will limit the depth roots can travel underground. Oxygen enters the soil when water, (e.g. rain), sinks into the ground and forces the air out of the soil but then, fresh air is pulled back into the soil as the water drains away. Larger spaces between soil particles will allow the soil to breathe better. Also deep watering will help the soil breathe better than shallow watering. •The organic components of the soil are made up of living and dead plants and animals, such as: bacteria, fungi, insects, worms, plant roots, etc. These, (plus any fallen leaves) become dead matter when they perish and decay. Humus is such a dead organic matter that, because of its structure and composition, provides rich nutrients to the plants and larger spaces for the air and water to circulate through the soil. Insects and worms also help this process by creating underground tunnels. Friendly bacteria and fungi help to break down minerals and trace elements so they become available as food source to plants. Testing your soil will determine how much of the above component are present and in turn will determine if the soil in your garden is Lean or Rich. The more elements gone missing the leaner your soil. The majority of plants prefer a spot where there is sufficient light and a rich well drained soil for optimum growth and production. •Experience comes with time and hands on work. Your experience and knowledge will tell you if a plant can do well or even survive in a less favorable environment. However, a less favorable environment makes for a less happy plant. Happy Gardening

Soil is just a mixture of rock material (sand and clay) and organic material (compost.) There are plants that do well in bad soils - many wildflowers do well. But part of that depends on the pH levels too. If you have bad soil, particularly in areas with clay and shale, you can treat with compost - and most horse farms have plenty to give you - free. It's jokingly called "Gardener's Gold." Basically (and don't freak out yet, it's not that bad) it's 1 part wood shavings and 1 part horse manure that's been allowed to compost for 5-6 months, so it's a rich, potting-soil-type material. You can mix/till this in with existing soil to vastly improve plant health. And it's very very healthy for the environment - no harsh chemicals. I live in a big city and have an arrangement with a local horse farmer to pick this up. I use it to treat the lawn, garden, and mulch the flowerbeds and shrubs. Save me a lot of money and saves them work.

No soil is perfect. One that is rich means that is filled with lots of organic material, worms live in it and there is good drainage. They call tht a nice sandy loam.

I love it when no one reads the question... and makes one up then answers that.... Your question was "Is there a general intuitive way to look at a plant and say, ahh here is one that will do well in rich/lean soil?' Yes and no. And you're right about experience. Okay... I find that plants that adapt to dry soils are less fussy about it than others. Yucca, Artemesia (some), Sedums and Juniper all can tolerate poor/lean soils. These will all adapt to better soils. Plants that are water needy generally need better soils... Hydrangea, Roses, Daisies. But there is no rule or fool-proof way to know, just by looking at the plant and finding a characteristic which will be present for lean, or one for rich. I hope that this helps Good luck-