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's 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 essential for your plants. Functions of Soil. The most apparent purpose of soil is a medium to support plant life. It provides support both physically and biologically. Physical support is provided by allowing the plant to cultivate its roots throughout the soil. Support is provided with its ability to hold water and nutrients that the plant needs. Additionally, it supports other types of life as well. Microorganisms and insects reside in the soil and they subsequently help vegetation by helping to decay organic material and adding structure. What's Soil Made of? The four important components of soil are mineral matter, organic matter (humus), water and atmosphere. Mineral matter refers to the inorganic components in the soil e.g. stones, gravel and constitutes up to 40%-60% of its volume. Types of Soil Texture. Soil texture is described as the size distribution of mineral particles that were different. Clay soil comprises a high percentage of clay particles and feels lumpy to the touch. The small size of the clay particles means that they clump together 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. This dirt holds nutrients more easily than clay soil as a result of spaces. It is easy to cultivate but can be compacted quite readily. Sandy soil comprises a high percentage of sand particles and feels gritty to the touch, Allows for a lot of space in between particles and as a result is quite free draining. This has its drawbacks as it does not hold water and nutrients can get washed away. Loamy soil is. This is dirt whose properties are controlled equally by the proportions 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? Soil must be fertile and have a structure. For a soil to be fertile it must have a pH value at a level and nutrients available. Are the essential nutrients nitrogen and phosphorous for overall wellness.