Sandy soil can be challenging to garden in, but with the right plant selections, you can have a beautiful and thriving landscape. As an avid gardener, I have learned that choosing plants adapted to sandy soils is key to success. In this article, I’ll share my top picks for the best plants that flourish in sandy soil, along with tips for identifying and amending your soil.
Understanding Sandy Soil
Sandy soil is made up of large particles that leave big gaps for water drainage. This means water drains rapidly through the soil, taking nutrients with it. While the quick drainage is great for avoiding oversaturated soil, it also means the soil dries out quickly. Sandy soils also tend to be low in organic matter and fertility.
When gardening in sandy soils, choose plants that naturally prefer fast-draining, dry conditions. Avoid finicky plants that require consistent moisture and fertilization Test your soil’s texture by grabbing a handful of moist soil. Sandy soil is gritty and won’t hold its shape You can also send a sample to your local extension office for testing.
The Best Plants for Sandy Soils
Here are my top recommendations for plants that thrive in sandy fast-draining soils
Full Sun Perennials
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Bearded Iris Available in a rainbow of colors iris are unfussy and spread quickly. Divide clumps every few years. Many rebloom in spring and fall.
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Black Eyed Susan: Cheerful, daisy-like flowers bloom profusely midsummer into fall. ‘Goldsturm’ is a popular variety.
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Russian Sage: Long lasting lavender-blue flowers open mid-late summer on tall spikes. A tough, reliable plant.
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Salvia: ‘Lyrical Blues’ and ‘May Night’ are two excellent varieties, with vivid blue blooms late spring into fall.
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Sedum: Succulents like ‘Autumn Joy’ produce bright pink blooms that stand out when other plants fade.
Shrubs
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Rosemary: Culinary rosemary thrives with hot, dry conditions. Grow it as a perennial shrub in warm climates.
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Lavender: Extremely drought tolerant with pretty purple blooms. Avoid wet soils. ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’ are cold hardy English lavenders.
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Butterfly Bush: These fast-growing shrubs produce clouds of blooms that attract butterflies. Prune hard each spring.
Shade Loving Plants
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Astilbe: Feathery, plume-like blooms thrive with shade and evenly moist soil. Mulch to retain moisture.
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Coral Bells: An excellent shade groundcover, coral bells produce arching foliage and dainty blooms.
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Hosta: With hundreds of varieties, hosta offers diverse sizes, leaf textures, and colors.
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Ferns: Easy to grow woodland plants. Try Christmas fern for evergreen appeal or autumn fern for brilliant fall color.
Vegetables & Fruits
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Tomatoes: Amend the soil with compost and fertilizer. Provide consistent water. Choose heat-tolerant varieties.
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Radishes: Fast-growing and delicious! Loose soil allows the roots to swell nicely.
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Blueberries: Acid-loving blueberry bushes thrive with sandy soil’s perfect drainage.
Waterwise Trees & Shrubs
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Redbud: A small ornamental tree with bright pink blooms in early spring. Does well in dry soil.
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Barberry: Thorny shrubs that make nice hedges. Japanese barberry has vivid red foliage.
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Juniper: Evergreen shrubs and trees perfect for sandy, rocky areas. Require very little water once established.
Caring for Sandy Soil
While certain plants thrive in sandy soil, you can further improve the growing conditions by:
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Adding 2-3 inches of organic compost or well-aged manure annually
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Mulching around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds
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Using soaker hoses or drip irrigation to deliver water slowly and directly to roots
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Fertilizing plants with a slow-release or organic fertilizer to replenish nutrients
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Grouping plants with similar needs, and watering dry-loving plants less frequently
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Incorporating native plants already adapted to local soils and climates
Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)
The butterfly bush is an attractive, flowering shrub highly adaptable to various soil types, including sandy soil. It’s the perfect plant to add some color to your garden. It grows in white, pink, or purple towering flower cones and beautifies your space.
The butterfly bush has long, narrow leaves that are coarse to touch and grow along arching, slim stems. This upright deciduous shrub produces clusters of branches with jagged-edged leaves. Due to its fast dispersal rate, the butterfly bush is considered an invasive species in certain states, often replacing native shrubs essential as a food source in the ecosystem.
- USDA hardiness zones: 5-10
- Type: Perennial shrub
- Maintenance requirements: Very low
- Blooming season: Summer to early fall
- Mature size: 3-8 feet wide, 4-12 feet tall
- Fertilization needs: None, other than some compost around the root area in spring
- Water needs: Moderate deep watering is needed, doesn’t handle extremes well; about half an inch of water a week is ideal
- Sunlight needs: Full sun
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
A hit with pollinators, black-eyed Susans are a must in a diverse garden. Named after the dark center accompanying a yellow or orange daisy-like flower, these plants are often found adorning landscapes or borders throughout North America. With over 24 native species available, there’s a variety for everyone.
If you’re a working professional with little time, black-eyed Susan is the ideal plant to grow due to its toughness and ability to withstand neglect. Plant it in the spring or fall when soil temperatures reach 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, leaving about 18 to 19 inches between each plant.
Some common cultivars include Indian Summer, Cherry Brandy, Goldstrum, and Denver Daisy.
- USDA hardiness zones: 3-9
- Type: Perennial
- Maintenance requirements: Very low
- Blooming season: Mid-summer to early fall
- Mature size: 1-3 feet wide, 1-5 feet tall
- Fertilization needs: Not generally required, but all-purpose fertilizer can support better growth
- Water needs: Regular watering is needed for establishment; at maturity, little hydration is required due to the plant’s impressive drought tolerance
- Sunlight needs: Full sun
5 Best Grass Seeds for Sandy Soil (2023)
FAQ
What plant grows best in sand soil?
In general, root vegetables do well in sandy soil- carrots, potatoes, radishes, turnips, beets, parsnips, sunchokes, etc. Garlic, Onion, Zucchini and Asparagus also do fairly well in them. For herbs, rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano should do well. Some types of lettuce and collards should be fine too.
What is the best ground cover plant for sandy soil?
Native Succulents for ground covers
For sandy soils close to the sea, some of our native succulents such as Disphyma and Carpobrotus are perfect. They will carpet the ground densely and root at the nodes, providing great soil stabilisation. They withstand windy conditions too, and are great waterwise plants.
How to landscape a sandy yard?
Hofman: Add lots of compost, top dress with mulch and you’ll never have a drainage issue. Over time, with lots of organic matter, sandy soil will greatly improve. Boynton: Grow things that are adapted for this type of soil. Look for California natives or plant species considered Mediterranean.
Do hydrangeas do well in sandy soil?
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Hydrangeas prefer loamy soil:Loam is a mix of sand, silt, and clay, providing good drainage and water-holding capacity.
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Sandy soil’s characteristics:Sandy soil drains quickly and doesn’t retain water well, which can be problematic for hydrangeas.
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Amending sandy soil:To improve water retention for hydrangeas in sandy soil, you can amend it with organic matter like compost or peat moss.
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Oakleaf hydrangeas:Oakleaf hydrangeas are known for their ability to tolerate sandy soil better than other varieties.
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Other considerations:Hydrangeas also need consistent moisture, so ensure you water them regularly, especially during dry periods.
What types of gardens grow well in sandy soil?
One of the best types of gardens to grow in this environment is a rock garden because plants that tend to grow well in rocky soil will also grow well in sandy soil. Gardens that have a lot of ground cover will also do well in sandy soil, so you will have options for your garden.
What flowers grow well in sandy soil?
Do not fret; here is a list of 35 flowers that will grow beautifully in sandy soil. This flower blooms for two months in spring as a bright yellow ground cover for garden edges. Basket of gold (Aurinia saxatilis) is a bright yellow ground cover that makes a lovely addition to your garden edges.
What plants grow in sand?
There are sparse patches of terrestrial grasses, the creepingherb beach morning glory Ipomoea pes-caprae, and succulents such as New Zealand spinachTetragonia tetragonioides at the toe of the bitumen where sand has collected (Figure 3-15b).