Gardening with clay soil may be difficult because of its dense composition.
Clay soil is dense and rich, holding a lot of the nutrients plants need to thrive. Made up of small particles, clay feels smooth to the touch when dry and will stick to your fingers when wet. Thick clay soils are full of plant-enriching nutrients, but this heavy soil type does not allow for much air and water circulation. Understand the composition of clay soil to improve and work with it in your garden.
Clay Particles
Clay is naturally formed on or near the Earth's surface, made up of metal oxides and minerals such as quartz and carbonate. Clay soil may be comprised of only 50-percent clay particles, with other soil types mixing into the composition. Clay particles are the smallest of soil particles. On a molecular level, the tiny particles are horizontally stacked together. Because of this particle stacking, clay soils often cover a wide area of ground. Tiny clay particles naturally stack together to create a dense, thick soil layer that provides less drainage than other soil types.
Each individual clay particle carries a negative charge, allowing it to absorb or adhere to positively charged elements, including magnesium, calcium, ammonium, potassium and many other nutrients that plants love. By nature, clay soil is packed with many nutrients that are needed for healthy plant growth, but clay alone is far too thick for most plants to grow in naturally.
Silt
Rarely are clay soils comprised of pure clay particles. Often, silt and sand particles are also present in the soil composition. Clay soil may contain up to 45-percent silt and still be classified as clay, as long as the soil is made up of at least 50-percent clay particles. Silt is the in-between particle, larger than clay but smaller than sand. Silt feels smooth to the touch and does not feel sticky even when wet.
Silt is comprised mainly of quartz and occurs naturally around rivers. Fine silt particles hold moisture but also allow water to drain through them. Because of the mineral-rich, free-draining nature of silt, it is considered to be one of the most fertile soil types. Clay soils may be improved with the addition of larger silt particles, which help loosen up the densely packed clay.
Sand
Sand is the largest soil particle. Each particle of sand has sharp edges. When held in the hand, sand feels rough and harsh to the touch. Sand absorbs neither nutrients nor water well, being a very free-draining type of soil. Naturally, sandy soils are found in coastal regions, near mountains and along rivers and streams. Sand is lightweight and not sticky by nature. Clay soil may be comprised of up to 45-percent sand.
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