The particles of clay are super tiny. This means that clay is hard to dig in and doesn’t allow for easy water drainage. However, it holds the most nutrients out of any soil. Clay breaks apart when it is warm and dry but holds onto water when it’s cool and is slow to drain.
Sandy soil is made from tiny bits of rock that break away from bigger pieces overtime. Sand doesn’t hold a lot of nutrients, but it is great for water drainage. Plants such as cactuses and succulents love sandy soil. However, sand is prone to erosion and can make it hard for most plants to grow in. This soil is not good for building on and can cause structures to majorly settle overtime.
Silty soil is also prone to erosion and washes way with water or wind very easily. The particles are light and good for plants to grow in since it holds both sand and clay. It contains the best properties of both sand and clay, with it holding onto nutrients and it is easier to dig through. Still though, silty soil is not the best for building structures on.
Loamy soil consists of a mixture of sand, clay, and silt. Loam is the ideal blend of all 3 other types of soil and is the best type for most plants to grow in. It is rich in nutrients and helps to provide excellent drainage for water. Even though it has good drainage, it also holds water making it suitable for the majority of plants to flourish in. Since it contains all three different types of soil, it supports most structures and has the best qualities of the soils mentioned.
There are pros and cons to all 4 types of soil. Depending on the needs of the person, one soil might be better than another for a specific type of application. Generally, loamy soil is the best type to build structures on. It has good drainage, strength, and many other qualities. However, what truly affects the stabilization of a structure? We will discuss this in the next article.
