Soil is an integral part of every garden, however, types can vary by garden. Here are some helpful facts and tips about the different types of soil and how you can tell which kind is in your garden:
1. If you can squeeze a handful of soil into a cylinder it has more silt (small particles) and clay (even smaller particles). If you cannot that means that your soil has more sand (bigger particles).
2. Sandy soil allows for more air and less water, whereas clay-heavy soil, the opposite.
3. Sandy soil is able to hold onto less nutrition, which can be a problem when trying to grow nutritious food.
4. Organic matter including leaves and stems can help balance out very sandy or clay-heavy soil.
5. Organic matter helps resist soil erosion and adds nutrition into soil.
