Utilisateur:AlyssaBaddeley1

Have you ever looked at the soil in your garden and considered it as anything more than soil? If not you should because there is a lot more there than meets the eye. It performs many functions that you have good quality soil in your garden and might not be aware of is crucial for your plants. Functions of Soil. The purpose of soil is a medium. It provides support both biologically and physically. Physical support is provided by allowing the plant to grow its roots throughout the soil to hold itself in place. Support is provided with its capacity to hold water and nutrients that the plant needs. Additionally, it supports other types of life as well. Microorganisms and insects live in the soil and they subsequently aid vegetation by adding structure and helping to decay organic material. What is Soil Made of? The four major components of soil are mineral matter, organic matter (humus), water and atmosphere. Mineral matter refers to the inorganic components in the dirt e.g. stones, gravel and constitutes up to 40%-60% of its volume. Different Types of Soil Texture. Texture is defined as the size distribution of different mineral particles. Clay soil comprises a high proportion of clay particles and feels lumpy to the touch. The clay particles' size means that they clump together easily and there is room for air spaces.

Clay soils have poor drainage and don't hold nutrients. Silty Soil feels smooth to the touch and comprises a high proportion of silt particles. This soil is a soil due to the size of these particles allowing space for water to permeate. Nutrients are held by this soil more easily than clay soil as a result of spaces. It is easy to cultivate but can be compacted. Sandy soil comprises a high proportion of sand particles and feels gritty to the touch, Allows for quite a lot of space between particles and as a result is very free draining. This has its drawbacks however as it doesn't hold water and nutrients that are essential can get washed away. Loamy soil is the type of soil texture you can have in your backyard. This is soil whose properties are controlled by the percentages of sand, silt and clay particles. It's well drained but does not drop water too readily as is the case with sandy and sometimes silty soils. What Makes a Soil Healthy? Healthy soil must be fertile and have a structure that is good. For a soil to be fertile it must have a pH value at a recommended level and nutrients. Nutrients that should be available are the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorous for overall health.