- What Is Soil?<\/a><\/li>
- Soil Types, Textures<\/a><\/li>
- 4 Ways to Determine Your Soil Texture<\/a><\/li>
- Understanding Soil Structure<\/a><\/li>
- What the Best Lawn Soils Need<\/a><\/li>
- How to Amend the Soil in Your Lawn<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ About Soil<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
What Is Soil?<\/h2>
According to the Oxford Dictionary, soil is \u201cthe upper layer of earth in which plants grow, a black or dark brown material typically consisting of a mixture of organic remains, clay, and rock particles.\u201d<\/p>
More simply, soil is a mixture of weathered rock, minerals, and organic materials originating from living organisms. Over time, it has slowly built up layers that cover the surface of the earth, serving as a medium for vegetative growth.<\/p>
Farmers and engineers have closely studied the native topsoil they are working with to determine its composition and structure. This gives them insight into how a specific soil type will behave. While you don\u2019t need to study your soil as closely as a farmer, a basic understanding of what\u2019s under your feet will help you achieve a healthy soil \u2014 and grow healthy plants in it.<\/p>
Soil Types, Textures<\/h2>
![\"soil\"](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/800px-Soil_material_containing_Sand_silt_clay-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Soil Science<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Soil is made up of three different types of particles<\/a> that are classified based on their size: sand, silt, and clay. This combination\/ratio of particle sizes makes up what we know as the texture of the soil. The texture determines how the soil looks and feels.<\/p>
- Sand<\/strong> particles measure 2.0 to 0.05 mm, the largest of the three soil types. They are the least-weathered and fairly coarse. Sand provides good aeration and drainage. However, it can be problematic for growing plants if the water drains too quickly.
<\/li>- Silt<\/strong> particles range in size from 0.05 to 0.002 mm and almost feel like flour if you were to hold pure silt in your hand. When water is added to silt, the silt does a fairly good job of holding onto the water and will feel slick and smooth.
<\/li>- Clay<\/strong> has the finest-grained particles, measuring less than 0.002 mm in size. It holds onto water tightly, impeding drainage and waterlogging the root zone of plants. When it dries, it can create extremely hard layers that are hard for roots to move through.<\/li> <\/ul>
The textural class of soil is determined by the relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay it contains. There are 12 different textural categories that fit into what is known as the soil texture triangle: <\/p>
- Clay<\/li>
- Sandy clay<\/li>
- Silty clay<\/li>
- Sandy clay loam<\/li>
- Clay loam<\/li>
- Silty clay loam<\/li>
- Sand<\/li>
- Loamy sand<\/li>
- Sandy loam<\/li>
- Loam<\/li>
- Silt loam<\/li>
- Silt<\/li> <\/ul>
For grass and most other plants, a medium loam, with proportions (by weight) of 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay is the ideal growing material. That mix holds nutrients and moisture but lets excess water run through.<\/p>
![\"infographic](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/SoilComposition-e1666529173649.png\")
The \u201csoil triangle\u201d classifies soil into 12 categories based on its proportion of sand, silt, and clay. The sweet spot for most grasses and plants is medium loam, neither too coarse nor too fine. Photo Credit: Zephyris<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> 4 Ways to Determine Your Soil Texture<\/h2>
There are numerous ways to determine your soil texture, ranging from simple methods you can DIY at home to laboratory tests that you will need to pay for.<\/p>
1. Watch the Water<\/h3>
Look at the physical characteristics of your soil, especially anything that stands out as being abnormal. These physical signs can provide some clues to the soil texture.<\/p>
- Does water drain quickly through the soil after irrigating or a natural rainfall event?<\/strong> If so, it has a higher sand content.
<\/li>- Does water pool on the surface of the soil after irrigating or a natural rainfall event?<\/strong> If so, it has a higher clay content.
<\/li>- Does the soil develop big cracks when it dries out?<\/strong> If so, it has a higher clay content.
<\/li>- Does the soil feel gritty and coarse in your hands?<\/strong> If so, it has a higher sand content.<\/li> <\/ul>
2. Dig Your Fingers In<\/h3>
You can get an approximate determination of the soil texture by following what is known as the soil texture by feel and \u201csoil ribbon<\/a>\u201d technique. The directions are more in-depth but the overall idea is you create a ball of moist soil in your hand, and by following a flow chart of simple questions, you can determine the textural classification. <\/p>
The ribbon technique<\/strong> was one of my favorite tests to perform when I was classifying soils as a graduate agronomy student! Who doesn\u2019t like to play with mud?<\/p>
- Does water pool on the surface of the soil after irrigating or a natural rainfall event?<\/strong> If so, it has a higher clay content.
- Does water drain quickly through the soil after irrigating or a natural rainfall event?<\/strong> If so, it has a higher sand content.
- Silt<\/strong> particles range in size from 0.05 to 0.002 mm and almost feel like flour if you were to hold pure silt in your hand. When water is added to silt, the silt does a fairly good job of holding onto the water and will feel slick and smooth.
- Soil Types, Textures<\/a><\/li>