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Understanding different types of soil

Soil is a complex mixture of minerals, gases, organic matter and water that provides structural support for plants and microorganisms
Understanding different types of soil

Soil is a complex mixture of minerals, gases, organic matter and water that provides structural support for plants and microorganisms.

But does the type of soil matter in gardening?

If you’re a gardener, you’ll know already the answer is ‘Yes.’ The soil type will determine just how successful you’ll be at growing certain plants.

Knowing your soil type takes the guesswork out of what will flourish and what might fail, saving you effort, time and money.

Here, we take a look at the unique characteristics of different types of soil and explain how to get the best out of them.

Different types of soil

Clay soil: Rich but heavy

Clay soil is rich in fine particles that are compacted together.

It can be referred to as ‘heavy soils’, and although it might be difficult to cultivate, it can be very fertile.

The downside of clay soil is that it can become waterlogged, and this could cause rot problems for plants (as well as inferior drainage).

Clearly, this is a type of soil that presents difficulties for a gardener, but they don’t have to be insurmountable.

With proper management, clay soil can be amended to support healthy plant growth.

This is because it’s rich in minerals and nutrients and its ability to hold moisture lessens the need for frequent watering.

However, clay soil can become compacted, making it hard for air to penetrate which can restrict root growth.

The good news is that these problems can be addressed by supplementing the soil with organic matter such as compost, aged manure, or peat moss.

These help to break up clay particles and improve drainage. If you till it regularly, you can also help aerate the soil.

Sandy soil: Quick-draining and easy to work with

Sandy soil has a gritty texture and sandy particles.

Compared to clay, and other types of soil, the particles of sandy soil are relatively large. 

This type of soil warms quickly in sunlight, but retains less moisture and nutrients.

The issue with sandy soils is that they dry out quickly and are low in nutrients. That means when cultivating them, you need to choose plants that can cope with these conditions.

One positive is sandy soil is easy to dig in and warms up quickly in spring, so it’s possible to grow flowering plants with the help of compost – enhancing the all-important moisture retention factor.

Loamy soil: The ideal growing medium

Of all the soil types, loam is one of the best.

Loam soil is to be prized because it comprises of a perfect balance of clay, sand, and silt – offering superb drainage, aeration, and retention of nutrients.

In fact, it’s an ideal growing medium for numerous plant species. With loam, flowers will flourish, and you can expect an abundance of vegetables.

Basically, it has all the qualities you might want from a soil, including:

  1. Drainage: Sandy particles in loam ensure that excess water drains away, thus preventing root rot
  2. Nutrient retention: Clay in loam helps the soil hold on to the nutrients which are essential for healthy plant development
  3. Ideal pH: Loam soil is slightly acidic to neutral when it comes to pH level (the measure of acid and alkaline levels) which is suitable for most types of plant
  4. Retains moisture: Silt in the mixture is great for holding moisture which means soil won’t dry out as quickly between waterings
  5. Aeration: The unique mix of sandy, clay and silt particles lead to the creation of air pockets within the soil which helps plants to breathe

Of the types of soil you can be blessed with for your garden, loam is the most desirable. However, even this needs attention to ensure it remains at its optimal best.

Fact: If you regularly incorporate organic matter, such as compost, aged manure, or leaf mold, into loam soil, you’ll help to enhance its fertility, drainage, and water retention even further.

Silty soil: Fertile but prone to compaction

Silty soils are a type of the soil composed of diverse rock and mineral particles, usually found in areas once covered by water (or near water), so you’ll get them where there are riverbeds, deltas, and lakes.

They’re different from other types of soil because they have a medium particle size and are soft and silky.

However, they can hold more moisture than sandy soils and are easily compacted.

Because of their lighter texture, they’re prone to wind erosion and can be washed away by the elements if exposed.

By adding organic matter, such as compost, they will perform well.

Peaty soil: Moist and organic

Peaty soil is characterised by a high percentage of organic matter, often exceeding 75%.

Peat itself is formed from dead, partially-decayed organic plant matter that’s taken millennia to develop into a rich, dark fertile earthy substance.

In fact, it takes approximately 10 years for 1cm of peat to be created!

Wet and waterlogged conditions contribute to the formation of peat soils and high-water retention is a key characteristic of this type of soil.

Peat soils are also more acidic than others, which can be attributed to the presence of organic acids produced during the partial decomposition of plant matter. They’re also less compact due to their low density and high porosity.

There are many spaces between particles of peat soil, and this means they can hold large amounts of water – often surpassing 100% of their dry weight. 

This water retention is key to carbon storage.

In spite of the amount of organic matter peat soils contain, the fact that decomposition is slow can result in limited nutrient availability for plants. 

This can prove a challenge for some gardeners, who may be forced to constantly apply fertilisers to keep plants healthy.

Chalky soil: Alkaline and free draining

Chalky soil is mostly made up of calcium carbonate from sediment that’s built up over millions of years.

Shallow and stony, chalky soil tends to dry out quickly.

With pH levels between 7.1 and 10, it isn’t the best soil when it comes to cultivation.

Chalky soils can cause nutrient deficiencies in plants. Signifiers include yellowing leaves and irregular or stunted growth.

All of this means that chalky soil can be very dry for plants in the summer, so it’s best - unless you wish to amend the soil – to stick to plants which thrive in arid, alkaline conditions.

Younger, smaller plants will also more easily establish roots than mature, larger plants.

Watering is essential and must be done for a much longer time than for other types of soil.

How to identify the right soil type for your garden project

When identifying soil and types of soil for your garden project, it’s good to establish the texture, drainage, and pH levels.

That way, you can identify which plants will thrive, and which won’t.

Testing your soil type

Texture

Texture is a simple way of testing for soil type, as each has its own distinct characteristics,

First, take a handful of soil. It should be moist, not wet – then give it a squeeze.

Does it feel gritty and fall apart? The chances are you have sandy soil.

If it forms a sticky smooth ball, it’s clay. If it crumbles, and is pliable, it’s likely to be loamy soil.

Stony and dry? Then it’s almost certainly chalky soil.

Drainage

To test your soil’s drainage, dig a small hole, about 30cm deep, and fill with water.

If the water drains away in less than half an hour, your soil is chalky or sandy. If it takes hours, it’s clay.

pH Test

Invest in a simple soil pH testing kit and this will confirm whether you have an acid or alkaline type of soil.  In the UK, soils in the south are often alkaline due to chalky subsoils, but testing is essential to confirm this.

Matching plants to soil types: A quick guide

Clay soil

Clay soils may have their drawbacks, but there are still plants which will flourish in its challenging conditions.

Trees like willow and alder are well-suited to wetter environments and shrubs, like dogwood and hydrangeas thrive in partially shaded areas. Bulbs will happily grow in clay soils.

Vegetables that need planting early will be difficult, but you can get a great yield of maincrop ones like potatoes.

Perennials like aster, rudbeckia, and echinacea also perform well in clay.

Roses can thrive in clay soil, which has a high concentration of minerals and nutrients that benefit these blooms, especially when amended with plenty of organic material.

Sandy soil

Root vegetables like beets, carrots, and radishes, which have deep plant roots, will thrive in sandy soil and alliums are also compatible with well-draining, sandy soil conditions.

Herbs, especially those that grow in Mediterranean climates such as thyme and rosemary, are also good in a sandy soil garden. 

Trees, conifers, shrubs herbaceous perennials that live for many years are also recommended for sandy soil types.

Loam soil

Loam soil’s versatility allows it to support a wide range of plants.

Roses, tulips, lavender, peonies, will bloom beautifully in loam.

You’ll also be able to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots and lettuce.

Trees like maple, apple, cherry, oak and birch will also flourish under loam’s slightly acidic conditions

Silt soil

In spite of the risk of waterlogging with silt soils, they’re pretty fertile and great for growing a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and plants.

Think cherries tomatoes, peaches, pears, apples, spinach, mulberries, roses and more.

Peat soil

For this kind of soil, choose ericaceous plants (azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries), carnivorous plants (Venus’s flytraps, sundews), and certain moisture-loving species (ferns, mosses). 

Additionally, some crops like potatoes, celery, and lettuce can be cultivated in drained peat soils. 

Chalky soil

Many popular choices, including lavender, dianthus, and euphorbia are excellent choices for sunny, chalky conditions.

Also, yarrow, red valerian, catmint, and various types of clematis and roses do well. 

Shrubs like buddleia, ceanothus, and hebe also thrive, as do trees like crab apple, hawthorn, silver birch and cherry trees. 

By identifying the nature of your soil, you can plant whatever is most compatible and, in this way, you can be pretty positive about what will be successful.

However, should you wish to fill your garden with a wide variety of plants, then it’s possible to make amendments:

  1. Clay soil: Add sharp sand or grit to enhance drainage and loosen up the structure
  2. Sandy soil: A regular application of organic matter helps the soil become more moist, and boosts its nutritional quality
  3. Acidic soil: Add lime to raise the pH for plants which thrive in alkaline conditions.
  4. Chalky soil: You can ramp up the fertility and improve the moisture retention of this type of soil with the addition of organic matter such as compost or rotted manure

For a thriving, beautiful garden, opting for plants that are most compatible with the type of soil will save you time, money and lots of effort.

But if you want to go down a different path, you can do so with the help of amendments.

The great thing is that you have a choice!

No matter the type of soil in your garden, you can increase its growing power by adding a good topsoil

This is a mixture of sand, silt and clay, as well as decomposed organic materials that can provide a lovely fertile foundation for all your plants. 

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