Garden Soil Structure

Finding out what kind of soil you have naturally in your garden will allow you to improve your soil with composts, insects etc. to reach the ideal growing conditions.
There are a number of soil types. The most common are:

Sandy Soil

• 80-100% Sand and less than 10% of each silt and clay
• Absorbs more than 2″ of water per hour
• Very porous with large spaces
• Dries out quickly

Loam Soil

• 25-50% Sand, 30-50% Silt, 10-30% clay
• Absorbs .25-2″ of water per hour
• Soil is loose
• Holds water well

Clay Soil

• 0-45% Sand and Silt, 50-100% Clay
• Absorbs less than .25″ of water per hour
• Few air spaces
• Water doesn’t penetrate easily or drain off well