Types of soil - What type of soil do you have.

What types of soil do you have?

Different types of soil that are rich in nutrients, easy to dig, hold their shape when moist and crumbles easily when it is ready to be planted are needed for a happy healthy vegetable garden.

It is important to consider what the soil composition is especially when choosing a new garden site.

Your vegetable plants need basic nutrients for good plant growth. These need to in the soil and accessible to the plant roots.

Soil composition means the proportion of sand, silt, clay and humus in the soil.

Four soil types:

Sandy soil

in true form it is the exact opposite to clay soil
particles are large and do not bind together
warmest soil; can be a benefit for some vegetables
does not hold water
does not hold nutrients

Silt soil

has intermediate size particles
drains better than clay soil
holds more nutrients than sandy soil
lacking in humus

Clay soil

clay soil gardening is the most difficult
particles are tiny, bind together making it heavy and difficult to work
cold soil which promotes slow plant growth
richer in nutrients than sandy soil
retains water; soil is often waterlogged
poor drainage
deficient in air, plants may not get enough oxygen
may be beneficial in hot dry seasons

Loam soil

A mixture of sand, silt and clay is ideal for a vegetable garden. This ideal structure is defined as loam soil.

Most soils are a combination of all the above types, however your soil will probably lean towards one of them. This gives you a starting point.

My "Why is Soil Important" ebook. Easy steps and tips to get your garden soil healthier.

Let me help you determine what your soil type is:

put a small amount of soil in the palm of your hand
add a bit a water to it
rub some soil between your fingers and if it is: gritty it has high sand content soapy it is silty sticky and can be rolled into a thin rope it is clay soil

It is not necessary for your vegetable garden to have consistent soil over the whole area. Different vegetables require different amounts of heat, water and nutrients therefore varying types of soil are a good thing.

Do not worry if your soil it not the ideal loam. Soil can always be improved.

Soil testing is the next step in answering "Do you have healthy vegetable garden soil?"

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