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Garden soil is one of the most basic essentials required in gardening. A gardener cannot do without soil, regardless of the type of plants he is planting. High quality soil is essential to your plants' health but have you ever thought of the composition of the humble garden soil? What is Soil Made of? There are four major components of soil - mineral matter, organic matter (humus), water and air. Within the soil consists of inorganic elements such as stones and gravel. These are the mineral matter and they constitute 40%-60% of the soil volume. Mineral matter comes from the bedrock that is under the soil. Organic matter or humus is the decayed remains and waste products of plants and animals. Soil nutrients or the chemical properties of the soil are largely influenced by organic matter. In between the mineral matter and organic matter is the space occupied by water and air. Purpose of Soil The role of garden soil is much like the role played by parents. They provide support and assist the plant to grow strong and healthy, just like the way our parents supported and provided for us when we were young. Soil is required to support the plant by enabling its roots to grow through the soil and hold itself in place. With its ability to store nutrients and water, soil also plays a vital role in the biological support for the plant. In addition to supporting plant life, garden soil also supports other life forms. Microorganisms and insects rely on soil to survive while contributing to the plant by decomposing organic material and adding structure to the soil. Microorganisms like fungi and bacteria that live in soil are used to produce antibiotics, which have benefited much to mankind. Soil is also used to support vegetation growth for mankind's consumption to ensure survival. Now, let's explore further the different types of soil texture. Different Types of Soil Texture Soil texture is determined by the different mineral particles and its respective size distribution. These mineral particles are sand, silt and clay. Sand particles are 2 to 0.05 mm in diameter, silt particles are 0.05 to 0.002 mm in diameter and clay particles are less than 0.002 mm in diameter. These particles exhibit different properties and their combinations in different proportions will have favorable outcomes for certain plant life. Let's take a look at the most common classes of soil texture: 1. Sandy soil As the term suggests, sandy soil feels gritty to the touch and contains a high percentage of sand particles. There is vast space in between the particles and therefore, it does not hold water well. Hence, essential plant nutrients also get drained off due to the free draining nature of sandy soil. 2. Clay soil Clay soil has small size particles which makes it clump together easily. What this means is, there is less room for air spaces and drainage capability is rather poor. Moreover, clay soil does not store nutrients well, thus it's not an ideal garden soil. Clay soil is heavy, feels lumpy and becomes sticky when it's wet, making it difficult to work with. 3. Silty soil Contrary to clay soil, silty soil feels smooth to the touch. It contains a high percentage of silt particles and has good drainage capability due to the small size of the particles. Water is able to permeate through easily with silty soil. Silty soil holds nutrients better than clay soil and is easy to cultivate but it can be compacted quite easily. 4. Loamy soil Loamy soil has the most superior soil texture and is a gardener's ideal soil. It has a good proportion of clay, silt and sand particles thereby providing the perfect amount of drainage. contrary to sandy soil, it does not lose water excessively. Loamy soil is able to retain nutrients for your plants. Thanks to its good structure, loamy soil is also easy to cultivate. Getting good quality soil is important as it determines how well your plants will turn out. Besides fertilizers, water and sunlight, the next best thing you can give to your plant is quality soil.
Article Source: http://www.articledestination.com
Healthy soil provides the basis for healthy plants. Learn more about indoor vegetable gardening and get container vegetable gardening tips at the Indoor Vegetable Gardening Tips Blog.
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