Which Soil Is Well Drained?

Deep, loamy soil and sloping sites tend to be well drained. Soil high in clay content, depressions, or sites with high water tables, underlying rock or 'hard pans' (a layer of soil impervious to water) tend to not be well drained.

How do you make well drained soil?

The essential element in well-drained soil is oxygen. When planting perennial plants that like well-drained soils in clay, the best thing to do is to create a raised bed or berm (mounded pile of soil). Mix the native clay half and half with coarse sand or crusher fines. (DON'T use fine sand; this will create concrete.)

Is sand a well drained soil?

The good parts: A sandy soil is so much easier to work with than clay soils, it is lighter weight, doesn't compact, and in general is easy to dig in or amend with compost, and most flowering plants benefit from the fact that it is well drained.