“ KNOWING YOUR SOIL TEXTURE WILL HELP TO INFORM YOUR DECISIONS relating to watering frequency , fertilizing frequency , and even what types of crops to grow .”
soil composition
For the pyramid to be a useful tool for average gardeners , growers would need to be able to sieve out and weigh the various particles in a soil sample . Most growers , even those with experience , are not likely to have the type of equipment needed for such an analysis . A lab is generally needed to perform this test . But in case you were wondering …
1 . Particles greater than 2 millimeters ( mm ) are deemed to be gravel and not considered to be part of the actual soil .
2 . Particles ranging in size from 0.05 mm to 2.0 mm , which is visible to the naked eye , are considered sand . Sand may further be divided into the categories of very coarse , coarse , medium , fine , and very fine . Sand particles are generally round .
3 . Particles from 0.05 mm down to 0.02 mm are considered silt ( larger silt particles are only visible only with a hand lens ). Silt particles are generally irregularly shaped .
4 . Particles less than 0.02 mm , which are only visible with a microscope , are considered clay . Clay particles tend to be flat .
“ KNOWING YOUR SOIL TEXTURE WILL HELP TO INFORM YOUR DECISIONS relating to watering frequency , fertilizing frequency , and even what types of crops to grow .”
WHY THIS MATTERS
Okay , you ’ ve determined your soil is silty clay loam or loamy sand or any of the other classifications — but why does this matter ? Knowing your soil texture will help to inform your decisions relating to watering frequency , fertilizing frequency , and even what types of crops to grow . Soil texture influences things such as water movement , water storage , aeration , and nutrient holding capacity . It can also let you know how early in the season you can till , plow , or otherwise work the soil , since soils with less moisture warm up earlier in the spring than soils with more moisture . Here ’ s a breakdown of how soils generally behave :
1 . Predominantly clay soils are good at holding water and nutrients , but they are not good at water infiltration , have poor aeration and drainage , and are difficult to work with .
2 . Predominantly sandy soils are the opposite of clay soils . They have good aeration , good drainage , good water infiltration , are easy to work with , but are poor at holding nutrients and water .
3 . Predominantly silty soils are fair at all the aforementioned criteria regarding water and nutrient holding capacities , infiltration , and workability .
4 . Predominantly loamy soils are the same as silty soils in those same categories .
82 grow cycle