Jeffry Hill is an experienced agriculture consultant who has been helping farmers and gardeners for years.
The solid part of the soil consists of tiny pieces of rocks. The nature of the mineral soil derives from a variety of aspects, such as the length of time during which rock was influenced by water, air or wind. The small particles that you may or may not see without a microscope are always the end result, but their origins may be drastically different.
These small particles divide into three categories based on their size: clay, silt and sand.
The largest particles are sand particles. They are easy to see with a naked eye. Clay and silt are too small to see without a microscope. Silt is small and clay is even smaller. Although a human eye can’t see these particles, we can feel the difference in their textures when we hold them in our hands. Silt is smooth and silky when wet. Clay is sticky and can form shapes.
The ratios between these three particles in a soil determine almost all of its properties. This is why you want to know these ratios in the soil where you are planning to start a garden or a farm.
Sand, clay and silt together are also known as soil texture. It plays such an important role that soil types derive their names from the texture names.
The fastest way to identify the soil texture is to perform a do-it-yourself test. You can also visit the soil survey website of the United States Department of Agriculture and see a map of your soil. If you want precise results, a laboratory soil test is your best option.
The texture matters so much because it’s one of the very few properties of a soil that humans can’t change. If you have clay soil, you are stuck with it. Several trucks of sand or silt won’t help you.
For example, if you add sand to clay, you will obtain concrete and not a more fertile soil. The reason for it is simple: sandy particles have the surface that is perfect for sticking to clay particles.
Soils that have too much of one of the particles are challenging for farming and gardening. Imagine trying to grow vegetables in a beach sand to get a picture of why this is the case.
Sand doesn’t easily hold onto organic matter or nutrients. Silt easily clogs up pore spaces. Clay sticks to everything. It does hold a lot of nutrients and water, but because of the stickiness factor plants will not be able to use them fully.
Gardeners and farmers describe a soil with a great combination of particles as loamy, notes Jeffry Hill. Loamy soils have the perfect combination of sand, clay and silt that is required for the growth of plants.
The solid part of the soil consists of tiny pieces of rocks. The nature of the mineral soil derives from a variety of aspects, such as the length of time during which rock was influenced by water, air or wind. The small particles that you may or may not see without a microscope are always the end result, but their origins may be drastically different.
These small particles divide into three categories based on their size: clay, silt and sand.
The largest particles are sand particles. They are easy to see with a naked eye. Clay and silt are too small to see without a microscope. Silt is small and clay is even smaller. Although a human eye can’t see these particles, we can feel the difference in their textures when we hold them in our hands. Silt is smooth and silky when wet. Clay is sticky and can form shapes.
The ratios between these three particles in a soil determine almost all of its properties. This is why you want to know these ratios in the soil where you are planning to start a garden or a farm.
Sand, clay and silt together are also known as soil texture. It plays such an important role that soil types derive their names from the texture names.
The fastest way to identify the soil texture is to perform a do-it-yourself test. You can also visit the soil survey website of the United States Department of Agriculture and see a map of your soil. If you want precise results, a laboratory soil test is your best option.
The texture matters so much because it’s one of the very few properties of a soil that humans can’t change. If you have clay soil, you are stuck with it. Several trucks of sand or silt won’t help you.
For example, if you add sand to clay, you will obtain concrete and not a more fertile soil. The reason for it is simple: sandy particles have the surface that is perfect for sticking to clay particles.
Soils that have too much of one of the particles are challenging for farming and gardening. Imagine trying to grow vegetables in a beach sand to get a picture of why this is the case.
Sand doesn’t easily hold onto organic matter or nutrients. Silt easily clogs up pore spaces. Clay sticks to everything. It does hold a lot of nutrients and water, but because of the stickiness factor plants will not be able to use them fully.
Gardeners and farmers describe a soil with a great combination of particles as loamy, notes Jeffry Hill. Loamy soils have the perfect combination of sand, clay and silt that is required for the growth of plants.