The characteristics of sandy soils and clay soils
EM-agriculture and the environment, page no 60
What is sandy soil: Sandy soil is formed by the smallest or fine particles of weathering rocks. This soil is known as the poorest type of soil for agriculture and growing plants as they have very low nutritional value and poor water holding capacity.
What is clay soils: Clay is a soft, loose, earthy material containing particles with a grain size of less than 4 micrometres (μm).
They each have six characteristics. They are:
The characteristics of sandy soil include:
Free draining
low water-holding capacity
quick to warm up
easier to cultivate
poor retention of nutrients
A greater risk of erosion
The characteristics of clay soil include:
High water-holding capacity
slow to warm up
small air spaces, which are harder for roots or organisms to penetrate and contain less oxygen
water does not drain away easily
hard to cultivate
retains nutrients well
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