Soil

Healthy topsoil is essential for maintaining a healthy and thriving lawn and garden. Healthy topsoil has a healthy balance of minerals, is regularly watered and is loose enough to provide adequate...

Clay soil is heavy, doesn't drain well and easily compacts around plant roots. While it's easy to break it up and amend it each year in annual flower and plant beds, in perennial beds there is...

Hard clay soil is heavy and tightly compacted, and growing most plants, trees or gardens in this type of soil is nearly impossible. Because hard clay soil packs together so tightly, water and...

Soil can be classified in a number of ways, by texture, color and ability to retain water, for example. Below are the most general classifications of soil; most subcategories are derived from a...

Alkaline soils have a pH of over 7.1 to 14. Acid soils have a pH of 0 to 6.9, with pH 7 being neutral. Clay soil tends toward the alkaline, not the acidic

Adding Sulfur to clay soil is done in order to lower the alkaline levels in the clay, and raise the acidic levels. It's a process often used by gardeners, landscapers or farmers operating in...

Clay soil is composed of fine particles which are easily compacted and waterlogged. High traffic areas are especially susceptible to compaction and flooding. Even if topsoil is aerated and porous,...

Not all types of soil are alike, and clay and sand represent opposite ends of the soil spectrum. In order to successfully grow plants in sand or clay, it helps to understand the unique...

Gypsum is often said to improve any and all soils. However, this isn't true. Gypsum is a handy solution for those with heavy clay soils who want to break up or loosen the soil, although it will...

For people who wish to start a garden but are dealing with a lawn composed of impacted, non-porous clay soil, gypsum is an affordable and organic way of sufficiently altering soil composition....

Knowing how your yard drains will help you set goals to improve your drainage. The type of soil in your yard determines how well it drains and the slope or grade of your yard determines what low...

Soil is composed of a mixture of water, air, minerals and organic matter. Soil forms the top layer of the Earth's crust and has many functions, including purifying water, recycling nutrients and...

Clay soil is difficult to grow lawns on because the soil particles are so fine that when water is added, these particles stick together, causing poor drainage and lack of airflow. The grass roots...

Starting a new garden is easy--just get out the tiller or shovel and dig. You can plant anything in whatever type of soil you have. But long-term growth and success depends on the soil and the...

Gullies are typically caused by increased rates and intensity of surface runoff. Unchecked rill erosion may evolve into this more substantial form, which can result from poor land-use management...

Soil refers to a layer of material that is ubiquitous on the surface of the Earth. Soil is usually classified by its texture, which is determined by the amount of sand, silt or clay that is...

Clay soil is often referred to as heavy soil because of its water-retention capacity. Because it drains poorly, it is easily saturated with water, which can lead to root rot or make it hard for...

As much as you might like to do so, picking your soil before buying a house or building a new home is all but impossible. If your home is part of a suburb, chances are the ground was stripped of...

Poor drainage is one of the biggest problems associated with clay soil. When you look at the structure of clay, it's easy to see why. Soil texture is determined by the percentage of three kinds...

When you turn over a shovelful of dirt in your garden, does it stick together in large, heavy clumps? If so, you probably have clay soil. Clay is made of tiny particles that pack together to...

The Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) is a handsome evergreen tree that is desirable for landscapes across the northern United States and Canada. Planting it in heavy clay soil requires extra steps...

Clay soil is generally negatively charged, allowing it to bond easily with a number of nutrients that carry a positive charge. As this bonding occurs over time, most clay soil ends up with a...

If you live in an area plagued by clay soil, you may find that your yard is prone to flooding when it rains or that your garden plants grow poorly. Dense and compacted, clay soil causes poor...

Clay soil presents problems for the gardener. When compacted, it can be so hard as to be almost impermeable, even with a shovel. The coarse, clod-filled texture inhibits plant root growth, and it...

Some gardeners do not need to make much of an effort to amend their soil, but for others, especially those with clay soil, there is a lot of groundwork to be done before planting can happen. Clay...

A thin layer of soil covers the top layer of the earth's crust. Soil is essential to agriculture and also supports buildings and roads.

Growing vegetables in a home garden not only helps the environment, but it saves money as well. Since many people do not have a large yard in which to plant a vegetable garden, container gardening...

Clay soil is clumpy, sticky and has little aeration for a healthy garden. Its dense structure leads to poor drainage, which is frustrating for gardeners. However, it's possible to improve clay...

Clay soil can be difficult for gardeners, as vegetation struggles to grow in clay. However, with some work and planning clay soil can be improved. Clay also has some positive attributes, such as...

No two soils are alike. Testing to find out what kind of soil you have is easy. There are three main types of soil, sandy, loam and clay, with infinite combinations of those soils present. To...

Providing adequate drainage for plants in clay soil requires improving the soil's texture. Lighten clay soil texture with the help of organic materials. With appropriate amendments, clay soil can...

Clay soils have fine particles that do not allow air or water to penetrate easily. They can be rock hard when dry and slippery when wet. Clay consists of a fair amount of organic material, but it...

Plants typically require nutrient-rich, well-drained soil to prosper well. There are plants that have adapted to less than favorable conditions, such as clay soil.

Loam is a popular soil medium that is commonly used for gardening, potted plants and even large-scale farming. It provides good aeration of the soil and plenty of nutrients for plants.

Clay soils can become loose and expand in wet weather. In dry heat, the soil will contract and become compacted. Heavy vehicle traffic can intensify these conditions if left unchecked. The...

Soil can be classified by different characteristics. One of the most important characteristics of soil is the texture. The texture, along with the organic content and pH, determines how well a...

There are three general classifications of soil texture. The soil texture classification is determined by the relative proportions that are present in the clay, sand and silt particles. Clay...

Scientists classify soil by the largest particle it contains. Particle size influences the soil's ability to drain moisture and hold nutrients. While basic soil classifications exist, soils can be...

There are many factors that need to be considered when choosing plants or features for a garden. The texture of the soil should be determined since this will affect the types of plants that can be...

When you think of dirt or soil, it's often in general terms. But soil has numerous identifiers. To get the most from your plantings, it helps to know what type of soil you have. It is also...

It is almost a given in the gardening world that a good garden starts with good topsoil. Topsoil is the mainstay for any decent-quality growing area, and will truly make a difference whether your...

Soil generally consists of organic and inorganic materials, water and air. Soil is categorized into three types of granules. These types are sand, clay and silt. The three types of soil granules...

Soil is the thin, outer most layer of the Earth's surface, comprised of a combination of minerals, water, oxygen, and organic matter. Soil types are categorized based on the quantities of each...

Soil texture refers to the amount of sand, silt and clay in a soil. Soil texture influences the frequency of irrigation, cultivation practices and the type of plants that will grow. Here is an...

Although plants can be forced to grow without soil, soil is the natural medium in which plants have adapted and evolved. There are a number of key factors or characteristics of soil that have a...

Topsoil is literally the soil on top--the few inches of soil that you see in gardens, lawns and fields. This means that almost any type of soil can qualify as topsoil.

Soil is classified based on the amount, by weight, and if it contains of clay, silt and sand. All soils contain these elements. However, how much your soil contains of each individual element...

Soil is made up of inorganic and organic particles. Clay soil is defined as a soil that is at least 40 percent clay particles. How much clay in soil is determined by the texture, structure and...

Soil types are crucial to the success of growing plants. Soil is the thin surface layer that plants need to become rooted. Soil is formed from worn rock particles, decayed plants and rotted animal...

Loam soil is composed of three different types of particles--clay, sand and silt--in fairly even increments. The ideal balance is 20 percent clay, 40 percent silt and 40 percent sand.