How to Evaluate Soil Texture: Organic Gardening

How to Evaluate Soil Texture: Organic Gardening
Definition of soil texture:
Texture indicates the relative content of particles of various sizes, such as sand, silt and clay in the soil. Texture influences the ease with which soil can be worked, the amount of water and air it holds, and the rate at which water can enter and move through soil.
Throw-the-ball test
Take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it into a ball
Throw the ball into the air about 50 cm
If the ball falls apart, it is poor soil with too much sand
If the ball sticks together, it is probably good soil with enough clay in it
Squeeze-the-ball test
Take a handful of soil and wet it, so that it begins to stick together without sticking to your hand;
Squeeze it hard, then open your hand …
If the soil retains the shape of your hand, there is probably clay in it
If the soil does not retain the shape of your hand, there is too much sand in it.
How to find the approximate proportions of sand, silt and clay
This is a simple test which will give you a general idea of the proportions of sand, silt and clay
present in the soil.
The Bottle Test
Put 5 cm of soil in a bottle and fill it with water;
At the bottom is a layer of sand;
· In the middle is a layer of silt;
· On the top is a layer of clay. If the water is still not clear, it is because some of the finest clay is still mixed with the water;
· On the surface of the water there may be bits of organic matter floating;
· Measure the depth of the sand, silt and clay and estimate the approximate proportion of each.
Stir the water and soil well, put the bottle down, and do not touch it for an hour. At the end of an hour, the water will have cleared and you will see that the larger particles have settled;