What is Soil
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What is Soil?
Soil is a living environment, with as much influence as the environment above ground. To the organic gardener, the soil is the most important aspect of the garden. Building and maintaining fertile, healthy soil organically is the first priority.. Much can be done to improve poor soil but before work begins it is important to find out more about your soils type or texture. Soil structure is determined by previous cultivations or how the soil was managed.
Both texture and structure have an impact on soil chemistry as to whether the soil is acidic or alkaline. This in turn will determine which plants are likely to grow well and the amount of life in the soil. Soil is a complex underground living environment teaming with life. It supports plant life by providing them with food and water. Approximately half the soil is composed of mineral particles from weathered rocks, organic matter and living organisms while the other half is air and water. Understanding the particular characteristics of your soil will help you get the most from it,
The following are the six types of soil and their basic characteristics Clay soil- tend to be dense, sticky and heavy to work. The tiny clay particles tend to settle together leaving little room for air. Sandy soil- lies on the opposite end of the soil spectrum in content. They tend to be very loose and dry. The relative large spaces between the particles prevent the soil from holding water and consequently plant nutrients.
Silt soil- tends to fall somewhere between clay and sand.
Peat soil- forms in wet acid conditions which prevents full decomposition of organic matter. They may be rich in nutrients and very acidic but can be made productive. Saline soil- Tend to form in arid climates these soils tend to be highly alkaline and infertile.
Chalky soil- Chalk soils are identified not so much by the soil itself as the inclusion of large quantities of pieces of chalk or limestone (calcium carbonate), which makes the soil very alkaline. You probably won't be able to dig down very far in them before you come to a layer of more rocks than soil Soil structure is the sum of all the features necessary to sustain plant growth. Unlike soil type you can easily alter soil structure. For example you may have clay soil rich in nutrients but still have poor plants since the soil is too heavy and water sodden for strong root growth.
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