Types of Soil

When you select and prepare a spot for your garden or for landscaping, you will need to consider the soil type as well as other factors. There are some common soil types that you can easily identify.

Clay soil is just what it sounds like and is comprised mainly of clay. When you pick up a small ball of clay soil, it will cling together and keep its shape. Potter’s clay is made from refined clay soil. Clay soil is difficult for plant roots to grow in, because it does not contain spaces between the particles to allow air and water for plant use. To improve clay soils you can add compost, humus, peat, or other organic matter and mix it in well. Improving clay soils by adding organic matter may require more than one growing season to achieve a looser tilth.

Sandy soil is quite the opposite of clay soil. It contains high amounts of sand, which allows water to drain away quickly, before plant roots can utilize the nutrients dissolved in the water. Sandy soils can also be improved by adding organic matter to help the sand particles cling together.

Loam soil is a good combination of soil particles that offers good drainage and holding capacity. It is soft and crumbly, yet it will hold together and is not as susceptible to erosion as sandy soil. Loam is considered the best soil type for general crop growing. Loam must still be maintained by the regular addition of compost and humus, to restore fertility and nutrients and to retain proper tilth.

Besides the particulate types of soils, gardeners should also know about the pH value and the mineral content of their soil, so that the correct amendments can be used. Acid or alkaline soil types can be determined with a simple soil test kit available at garden stores.