Determining Soil Texture by Feel

1. Determining Soil Texture by Feel Elizabeth Newell

2. Why does soil texture matter? • Varies across the U.S. • Depends on topography and climate • Different soil types support specific crops better • Soil can be separated into three categories: sand, silt, and clay • Loam is a combination http://soils.usda.gov/technical/aids/investigations/texture/

3. Sand • Coarse • Highly erodible • Often found near fast moving water and dry, windy areas • When moist a finger- print is not visible • Difficult to form a ribbon

4. Silt • Smooth, fine texture • “Fine grained” soil • Finer than sand • Heavier than clay • When moist faint fingerprint is visible • Found by slow moving water and lakes • Ribbon length < 5 cm

5. Clay • Smooth texture when dry • Finer than silt • Sticky, stains when wet • “Fine grained” soil • When moist fingerprint is visible • Ribbon length > 5 cm • Often found by slow moving water and lakes

6. Step One • Wet a handful of soil • Form into a ball • Does ball maintain shape after rolling? • Yes = move to step two • No = sand

7. Step Two • Bounce the ball in your hand • Did it break? • Yes = loamy sand • No = silt or clay • Press your finger into the soil • Distinct fingerprint = clay • Faint fingerprint = silt

8. Step Three • Form a ribbon of soil between your forefinger and thumb • Ribbon length: • < 2.5 cm = loam • 2.5 to 5 cm = clay loam • > 5 cm = clay • Longer ribbon = greater clay content

9. Step Four • Work the soil next to your ear to listen for modifiers • Gritty sound = sandy • Sandy loam • Sandy clay loam • Sandy clay • Smooth sound = silt • Silt loam • Silty clay loam • Silty clay

10. Conclusion • Knowing how to determine soil texture will aid in land management practices • Enables you to select the best plants for the soil type found in your field or garden