Torschuetzen

The world of soil is a diverse one. There are many different classifications of soil that are used to describe the different attributes of each of the different known types of soil. Soil texture is a qualitative classification tool used to determine classes for agricultural soils based on their physical texture. Soil textures are classified by the fractions of each soil separate (sand, silt, and clay) present in a soil. The most common classes of soil texture include:
- clay soil – forms a heavy mass which makes it difficult for air, water and plant roots to move through the soil when wet; once dry they form rock-hard clots;
- sandy soil – have a fine grained texture; it retains very little water, fertilizers or nutrients which means it is extremely poor;
- silty soil – is soft and smooth, with individual pieces close together; it holds a lot of water, but the slightly larger particles make it a little better at draining than clay;
- loamy soil – drains well, yet retains moisture and is nutrient rich, making it ideal for cultivation;
- chalky soil – is a solid, soft rock which breaks down easily; it is very free draining, and holds little water and dry out easily;
- peat soil – is basically formed from the dead and decayed organic matter.