Answer:

Whether you are growing turfgrass, flowers or crops, there are four soil types that growers work with. Each type is composed of different SIZED particles: sand silt and clay. The combinations of these three particles define your soil’s type.

Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of each type: Sandy soils, clay soils, SILTY soils, and loamy soils. Then, we’ll discuss how you can diagnose your soil type using either a soil test or a DIY METHOD.

Explanation:

Sandy soils are light and gritty to the touch. Because sandy soils have large particles, they dry out quickly, are often low in nutrients and acidic. Both water and fertilizer have a tendency to leach out of the soil - escaping to waterways before the plant can utilize them.

Advantages of Sandy Soils:

•Warms up quickly in the spring

Disadvantages of Sandy Soils

•Dries out quickly in the summer

•Nutrients and water often leech away especially with rainfall

•Often acidic

Managing Sandy Soil

When it COMES to sandy soils, APPLY less water and fewer fertilizers, but more often, to produce the best results. You can also amend your soils with organic matter that will improve the soil’s ability to hold onto nutrients. To improve organic matter, incorporate compost, carbon-rich sources of fertilizers, and materials rich in soil microbes.