Soil Texture Practical Skill

Question 1

What is soil texture?

Answer 1

• Soil texture is the feel (fineness/coarseness) of the soil.
• Very important – determines other soil properties – drainage, water retention, usefulness.
• Very important the farmer knows the texture of soil in regards to allow the best management.
• Impossible to alter through management unless mixing different soils.
• Altered by processes such as erosion and weathering.
• Classes of texture are based on different combinations of sand, silt and clay.
• Soils with equal amounts of sand, silt and clay provide a loam texture and represent the optimum soil texture.
• A ‘crumb’ structure similar to breadcrumbs is considered the best soil structure.

Question 2

Why is soil texture important?

Answer 2

Soil Texture is really important as it determines soil characteristics that affect plant growth. Soil Texture influences;
* Water holding capacity
* Nutrient retention and supply
* Drainage
* Nutrient leaching
* How workable/fertile the land is

Question 3

How does Clay feel and the advantages and disadvantages of this type of soil?

Answer 3

Clay soils feel sticky and you can roll them into a ball.

Advantage: Holds water well and tends to be rich in Nutrients.

Disadvantage: Heavy to work, warms up slowly, prone to waterlogging.

Question 4

How would you test for soil texture? – The method we used to test on the practical demonstration day?

Answer 4

• We completely broke down the sod of soil, removing stones, roots, and broke it down into friable pieces making it easy to examine the texture.
• We then wet the soil depending on if the soil needed to be wet. Some soils may not need to be wet as already a high moisture content.
• Important on day of assessment that you wet soils which need to be.
• Then followed the soil texture triangle to determine the soil texture (I have attached soil texture aid below). This is given to you on the day.

Question 5

How does Sandy soil feel and the advantages and disadvantages of this type of soil?

Answer 5

Sandy soil feels gritty between your fingers.

Advantages: Easy to work, light and free draining, warm up quickly.

Disadvantages: Does not hold nutrients.

Question 6

How does Silty soil feel and the advantages and disadvantages of this type of soil?

Answer 6

Silty Soils feel smooth (buttery) or silky when you roll them between your fingers.

Advantages: Quite Fertile, hold some water, warms up quite quickly.

Disadvantages: Dense and easily compacted and can lose nutrients.

Question 7

What is Loam Soil? It’s advantages and disavantages?

Answer 7

Loams have a balance of clay, sand, silt and organic matter.

Advantages: It is fertile, easy to work and holds water.

Disadvantages: Usually acidic and can become waterlogged.

Question 8

Why do we test Soil texture/take soil samples?

Answer 8

We test soils because we want to be able to identify the best elements for growth so we can increase our yield. We soil sample to know what we’re looking for.

Need to know what major and minor elements we have.

Maximising minor elements is essential to increasing yield.