What makes loamy soil

This article will discuss the three basic components of soil, sand, clay, and silt , and how the proper ratio of these three components work together to make up the loam of your soil. The simple answer to creating better soil loam is to add organic matter.

The loam of the soil is not to be confused with the fertility of the soil. The fertility if the soil refers to the ingredients in the soil that allow for plant and tree growth. Things like nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, etc.

The loam of the soil is the actual physical structure of the dirt itself. The physical structure can really affect the growth of your plants. The better the loam, or structure of your soil, the better your plants will grow. The loam of the soil as I said before, is the structure of the soil.

Soil is comprised of sand, clay, and silt. The combination of these elements is what comprises all soils. All parts have advantages and disadvantages. Silt is kind of the in-between soil.

What you really want is to have a good balance of all 3 soil components for good loam. This can be done on a small scale by bringing in the proper amount of sand, clay, and silt and mixing it together. However, depending upon the size of the ground you are hoping to improve, this method can be outlandishly expensive, and there are other methods of improving loam that are less expensive, and work well. Most any soil can be made good by adding organic matter! Adding organic matter will improve water drainage and retention, nutrient retention, and aeration in soil.

In clay soil the smaller particles will be separated by the organic matter creating a crumblier soil. There are many ways to add organic matter to your soil with resources you already have available. Bring back the carrot tops and peelings, watermelon rinds, pea pod shells, potato peels, corn cobs and stalks. Bring everything back to your garden that was grown there, break it up however you can, and mix it directly into the ground. You will be surprised with the nutrient levels and loam production that will follow.

The one exception to this rule is diseased plants. Diseased plants need to be discarded. Some diseases will perpetuate in the soil and reinfect your plants the next season. Grass clippings are a great source of organic matter as well.

You can often get a nitrogen boost with grass clippings, grass really is a high nitrogen user. Caution should be used if the grass has had a weed and feed fertilizer put on it. Some gardeners have reported that the herbicidal fertilizer stays with the grass clippings and can poison your garden. Leaves are also outstanding to put into your garden.

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Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TheSpruce. Clay particles are very small in size and tend to pack down so that water does not drain well and little or no air can penetrate. Silt particles are medium sized and have properties in between those of sand and clay. A loamy soil, then, is one that combines all three of these types of particles in relatively equal amounts. Loamy soil is ideal for most garden plants because it holds plenty of moisture but also drains well so that sufficient air can reach the roots.

Heavy, compacted soil can be rescued by the enduring gardener. Add a good amount of organic matter, such as compost, animal manure, cover crops or organic mulch materials, each year as the soil is worked. It may take several years, but eventually the soil compaction will be improved. Add organic matter such as compost, aged manure or peat moss to the area. Clay soils additionally benefit from the inclusion of sand to other organic amendments.

Set a 5-inch layer of one or more garden amendments over beds that have non-loamy soil. If you have beds that are already of good-quality loam, maintain them with a 2-inch layer of compost, manure or other amendments. Use a spade or tiller to work the layer of amendments into the soil at a depth of about 9 inches. Spread a 3-inch layer of organic mulch on the surface of the soil once seedlings are well established. When it needs to be refreshed the following year, the existing mulch can be turned into the soil to improve texture as it decomposes.

Turn existing vegetation into the soil at the end of the growing season. Pull up annual flowers and vegetables, then work them into the first 6 to 8 inches of soil.