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Home GARDEN

Understanding Different Soil Types and Their Needs

Understanding the soil types in your garden is an important step when you starting a garden from scratch

Lois Capone by Lois Capone
June 10, 2024
in GARDEN
Reading Time: 8 mins read

IN THIS ARTICLE:

Toggle
  • 6 Soil Types and Their Characteristics
  • Combination soil types
  • Other Soil Characteristics
  • Soil pH
  • Soil nutrition
  • Testing and Adjusting Your Soil

Soil is a living, breathing foundation that supports the life of your garden.

Every gardener, whether a seasoned green thumb or a budding enthusiast, quickly learns that understanding the soil types in their garden is key to growing plants well.

So, if you are wondering how many types of soil there are, and how we can improve it, let’s find out in the following post.

I will share the basics of different soil types and how you can best nurture each to achieve a thriving garden. Understanding the soil types in your garden is an important step when you start a garden from scratch.

 

6 Soil Types and Their Characteristics

#1. Clay Soil

  • Texture: Dense and sticky when wet, forming hard clumps when dry.
  • Drainage: Poor drainage, which can lead to waterlogging.
  • Nutrients: High in nutrients, but their availability can be low due to poor aeration.
  • Management Tips: Add organic matter like compost or gypsum to improve structure and drainage. Raised beds help avoid waterlogging. Growing plants improves clay soil effectively.

Some plants that grow well in clay soils: daylilies, Japanese maple, Russian sage, oak trees…

Clay Soil
Clay Soil

 

#2. Sandy Soil

  • Texture: Gritty, loose, and easily falls apart.
  • Drainage: High drainage.
  • Nutrients: Low in nutrients and organic matter.
  • Management Tips: Add organic matter and compost. Frequent light watering and mulching will retain moisture and reduce temperature fluctuations.

Some plants that grow well in sandy soils: lavender, pine trees, rosemary, sedum…

Sandy Soil
Sandy Soil

 

#3. Silty Soil

  • Texture: Soft and soapy to touch, holds moisture, but is easier to compact than clay.
  • Drainage: Better drainage than clay but can still become compacted.
  • Nutrients: Highly fertile.
  • Management Tips: Avoid compaction by not walking on it when wet. Add organic matter to enhance its productivity.

Some plants that grow well in silty soils: sedges, watercress, rice, cattails…

Silty Soil
Silty Soil

 

#4. Loamy Soil

  • Texture: Ideal blend of sand, silt, and clay.
  • Drainage: Well-drained yet retains moisture.
  • Nutrients: Rich in nutrients and organic matter.
  • Management Tips: Add organic matter annually, and rotate crops to prevent nutrient depletion. Use mulch to enhance its structure.

Some plants that grow well in loamy soils: tomatoes, carrots, spinach, strawberries…

Loamy Soil
Loamy Soil

 

#5. Peaty Soil

  • Texture: Spongy.
  • Drainage: Retain a lot more water.
  • Nutrients: Rich in organic matter but often low in essential nutrients.
  • Management Tips:  Add lime to reduce acidity. Create drainage channels to prevent waterlogging.

Some plants that grow well in peaty soils: sundews, sphagnum moss, azaleas, cranberries…

Peaty Soil
Peaty Soil

 

#6. Chalky Soil

  • Texture: Stony with larger grains and sits over limestone or chalk bedrock.
  • Drainage: Drains well but can be dry.
  • Nutrients: Often alkaline and low in iron and other trace elements.
  • Management Tips: Add humus-rich material to improve moisture retention and nutrient levels. Iron chelates can manage chlorosis from nutrient deficiencies.

Some plants that grow well in chalky soils: wallflower, butterfly bush, sea holly, yarrow…

Chalky Soil
Chalky Soil

 

Combination soil types

Think of soil types, you can mix them to create a diverse range of soils. For instance:

Clay loam combines the traits of loam with increased water-holding capacity from clay.

Silty clay blends clay and silt for improved drainage but faster erosion.

Sandy clay, a mix of clay and sand, is lighter and drains better than pure clay due to higher sand content.

 

Other Soil Characteristics

Soil pH

  • Acidic soils: in regions with heavy rainfall.
  • Neutral soils: ideal in in various environments.
  • Alkaline soils: in arid regions with low rainfall
Soil pH
Soil pH

 

Soil nutrition

Three categories of soil nutrition include:

  • Primary nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
  • Secondary nutrients: magnesium, calcium, and sulfur.
  • Micronutrients: boron, zinc, iron, and others.

Primary nutrients are the most important. Add one of them to grow your plants.

 

Testing and Adjusting Your Soil

Testing Your Soil

1. Touch Test

Rub damp soil between your hands; if dry, spritz with a spray bottle to moisten.

Feeling Soil Type
Gritty Sand or a mixture of sand content
Sticky Clay or a mixture of clay content
Fine, soft, and slightly damp Loam
Soft and slippery Silt or a mixture of silt content
Rocky and chalky Chalk or a mixture of chalk
Spongy and damp Peat or a mixture of peat content
Touch Test
Touch Test

 

2. Ribbon Test

Take a small ball of moist soil, roughly ½ to ¾ inch in diameter, and hold it between your thumb and forefinger. If the soil is dry, spray it lightly with water.

Squeeze the moist soil ball into a flat ribbon shape, extending it beyond your fingers. When it breaks, measure its length with a ruler or tape measure to determine your soil type.

Length of ribbon Soil Type
No ribbon Sand or a mixture of sand content
< 1 inch Loam, sandy loam, or silt
1 – 2 inches Clay loam, sandy clay loam, or silty clay loam
> 2 inches Clay, sandy clay, or silty clay
Ribbon Test
Ribbon Test

 

3. Settle test

Put soil in a clear container. Add water, leaving space at the top.

Then shake it. After 12 hours, check the container.

Mixture Soil Type
Cloudy water with a layer of soil at the bottom Clay, silt, or a mixture of both
Clear water with a thick layer of soil at the bottom Sand or a mixture of both
Clear water with layers of various particles at the bottom Loam
Pale gray water with white, gritty pieces at the bottom Chalk or a mixture of both
Cloudy water, many particles floating on the surface, and a thin layer of soil at the bottom Peat or a mixture of both
Settle test
Settle test
4. Other TestsSoil test kit: Testing the soil by kits is easy. Purchase and follow the instructions.
Analog: Sticking a metal spike into the ground and checking parameters.
Lab test: Collect a soil sample and send it to a professional laboratory.

 

Improve Your Soil

Don’t worry about your soil. You can enhance soil fertility by adding organic matter like humus.

Remove compaction, regulate pH levels, and add mineral substances like sand, lime, or mineral fertilizers to make the soil healthy.

Besides, consider planting green trees or rotations to enrich the soil and promote healthier growth.

Improve Your Soil
Improve Your Soil

 

Soil management is continuous. By understanding your soil, you will make your outdoor space greater.

Let’s explore more at Garden and Crafty and make your life greener!

Understanding Different Soil Types and Their Needs
Understanding Different Soil Types and Their Needs
Tags: Soil
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Lois Capone

Lois Capone

Lois Capone is a wife and mom in her 50s who enjoys sharing gardening, DIY tips, and home decor ideas. She believes that with some inspiration, anyone can create a special feel in their home and garden.

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