An Overview of Soil Types

Soil type is a very important thing to think about as you plan your landscaping for the season. There are certain plants that do not do well in certain soil types, and if there is anything you can do to identify and fix a problem, that could save you a lot of trouble later on down the road. Here are a few different variations of soil types that we have here in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, as well as some other important things dealing with soil.

Soil Types - There are many types of soils and they are distinguished by the amount of certain substances that make up that soil. There are three main components that affect the texture of all soils and those are sand, silt and clay. There are many compositions that can occur, but they are generalized into just a few categories.

1. Silt Loom - The dominant component to silt loom is silt, and it usually feels smooth or floury if rubbed between fingers.

2. Loam - Loam refers to a soil type that has a pretty well rounded mix of sand silt and clay.

3. Silty Clay Loam - Noticeable amounts of clay and silt are felt in this soil, but it is dominantly made up of silt. When moist, it usually becomes sticky or slick.

4. Sandy Loam - Predominantly sand, but there is enough clay and silt to hold the soil together.

5. Clay Loam - Clay is the main component, and is usually hard when dry, and slick and sticky when wet.

Soil pH - Another thing to take into consideration when dealing with soil is the pH it contains. This is basically the measurement of hydrogen ions that are active in the soil. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 14, and tells you how acidic or alkaline the soil is. A pH of 7 means that the soil is pH neutral, and most plants do well pretty close to that. Some plants prefer slightly more or slightly less acid. You can adjust your soils pH by adding substances that add either hydrogen or hydroxyl ions to the soil. Lime is typically used to increase pH, but it is important to make sure to test the soil before and after putting lime down.

Drainage - Too much water and too little water are equally undesirable in your soil. Too much water means that the roots cannot get enough oxygen, and too little water means that plants will wilt and die. Therefore, your soil needs to be able to drain. This is affected by slope, texture and structure. Soil drainage can often be indicated by soil color. Red or yellow-red generally means that the soil is draining well. Dark gray means that the water is not graining well.

Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping Inc.