This sometimes causes drainage problems when used by itself. Most moisture-loving plants, like colored flowers, vines and grasses, grow well in this smooth and slippery soil. Sandy soils by contrast have a rough texture, which helps give good drainage and allow lots of air in the soil. Sand is ideal for drought-loving plants like cacti; however, because of its drainage properties, nutrients can be washed away.
This type of soil can also grow tulips, shrubs and other plants that don't need too much water. However, unless you just want to grow desert plants, sandy soil isn't so great by itself. By combining these three types of soil, loam gives you the best characteristics of all three. This enables you to grow almost any type of plant without having to add too much to the soil. The clay and silt help retain the moisture while the sand keeps the soil from compacting too much.
Put on the lid and shake the jar vigorously to thoroughly blend the mixture, and then set it aside. After six to 10 hours, check the jar—the soil and water will have separated and settled into layers.
Sand the heaviest will be at the bottom, silt will be in the middle, and clay will be on top. If the sand and silt layers are relatively equal and the clay layer is about half their thickness, congratulations—you have loamy soil! If signs point imbalanced proportions of silt, clay, and sand, you can take steps to bring the soil into a more beneficial balance. No matter what imbalance your soil currently has, the key to achieving a fertile loamy soil is to amend it with organic matter. This includes garden compost; peat moss; composted horse, goat, chicken, or cow manure; dried leaves or grass clippings; or shredded tree bark.
It can take three to six years to obtain optimal loamy soil. Implement one or more of the following methods to get your soil in top shape, and keep it that way:. Sandstone, predictably, breaks down into sand. The difference between clay, sand, and silt is in the size of the grain. Sand is big, clay is little, and silt is in between. A particle of very fine clay, on the other hand, will take about years to fall the same four inches. Silt will fall the same distance in five minutes.
Sand, being the largest component, is made of hard minerals, which make it difficult to crush or compact. This creates pockets of air between the grains — necessary for worms and microorganisms to flourish — and improves drainage as water flows easily through them. Silt, made from quartz and feldspar, is slippery when wet, which makes it home to many microorganisms and decaying organic matter humus.
Clay is formed from silicate rocks, composed of silicon and oxygen, and has the convenient property of being negatively charged, which attracts the positively charged elements calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus — essential for plant growth. Clay particles also hold large amounts of water. How do you know if your loam soil has the proper balance of sand, silt, and clay? If the clump immediately falls apart, your soil is too sandy. If it doesn't crumble at all, your soil has too much clay.
Soil that's too silty will feel slimy when wet and become powdery when dry. The ideal loam soil will hold its shape but crumble if you start poking at it. For a more scientific test, your county extension office or university extension service can determine your soil type and its suitability for gardening.
The way to create the right balance is to add organic matter — such as compost, grass clippings, dried leaves, or composted manure — which will break down over time, add nutrients to your soil, attract worms and microorganisms, create vital air pockets, and help your soil retain moisture.
One cubic yard of loam will fill the bed of a pickup truck.
0コメント