Soils are a great place to start as a new producer. Soils are a complex integration of mineral material, organic matter, water, air and living organisms. Soils differ from region to region and can even differ from field to field or within a field. Most of Nova Scotia’s soils are naturally acidic, low in organic matter, and relatively infertile, but with good management, improvements can be made, and some soils can become very productive. Understanding your soil and some of the processes that occur within the soil is an important part of being a farmer. Some of the steps you can take to better understand your soils are:

1. Understand your soil type.
2. Dig deeper into your soil fertility through sampling and soil test interpretation.
3. Consider your site conditions and the crops you want to grow to identify the limitations and benefits of the site.

Soil survey reports contain comprehensive soil resource information that should be referenced when planning a new orchard site. Updated descriptions can be found from the Canadian Soil Information Service.