Category: gardening

Basically there are 5 common types of soil. As a gardener, one must be able to identify them as well as know their pros and cons for gardening. They are as listed and described below.

1. Sand. Sand is dry and light. It feels gritty. Sand is free draining. Because of that, it loses nutrient easily. When using sand, extra fertilizer and organic matter should be added.

2. Peat. Peat has a spongy feel and its either dark brown or grey in colour. Unlike sand, peat tends to retain too much water. Because of that, it may require artificial draining. It is also often acidic and is naturally rich in decomposed organic matter and nutrient.

3. Clay. Clay is heavy. It feels sticky when moist. Under wet condition, clay is hard to work with. It does not drain water easily. 

4. Silt. It does not feel sticky and gritty. When wet, silt can become badly drained. Silt quality can be improved by adding in some manure and compost.

5. Chalk. Chalk is very light in colour. Being highly alkaline, it is not suitable for many types of plants. Additionally, it does not retain nutrients well.

Well these are just some descriptions of the soil types.  The most ideal soil must be rich in nutrients in the form of organic matters. It must also be able to drain well. Each soil types has its own pros and cons. However, there are techniques that can be used to improve their quality for planting and gardening.

I hope that the article is useful for you. Happy gardening.