Soil type is one of the most important parts of gardening, especially if you love your plants, vegetables and blooming floral displays. Soil is one of the most variable components of successful gardening, and the soils composition will have an impact on decisions of what to grow.

If you’re a novice gardener or are trying to understand the main differences between different types of soil, then there are some basic types which you can learn about.

The first kind of soil we’re talking about here is clay soil. Clay soils are called so because they are heavy in clay content, which makes them heavy, sticky and often wetter than other soils. Clay soils are prone to poor drainage because of the lack of air and therefore become waterlogged easily. Loosening up clay soil can be achieved by the addition of sand, otherwise it can be hard to work. If a clay soil drains well then plants will grow beautifully due to the high nutrient qualities of clay.

Sandy soil is the exact opposite of clay soil being well draining and lower in plant nutrients. So long as sandy soil has enough organic matter in it to hold in moisture and boost the nutrient content, then they can be very good to work.

Lastly, if you’re an enthusiastic gardener it makes sense to avoid chalky soil because these are the very worst quality that could be hoped for. Chalk soil can contain a lot of stones and it’s often found to be the cause of yellowing leaves as water drains away too quickly and essential nutrients are blocked.

Other types of soil can be classed as peaty or silty, but here are the main kinds to look out for. With the exception of chalky soil which can make gardening seem worthless because of the extra plant food and organic goodness required, most soil can be put to good use by gardeners.

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