Water Absobtion and Retentions Rates for different Soil Types
Very Hig 10
h
High 9
Moderately High 8
n
Medium High 7
ointe
Medium 6
teR MediumLow 5
dnan
4
o Moderately Low
i
rbt
3
Low
sob
2
Af
Very Low
os
1
etaR
0
Water
How to determine soil type:
absorbtion
Water
retention
Refer to the soil texture pyramid below.
Notes on Safety:
Start with layer 1, the top layer is the lightest, consisting of clay
If you have pets, please take appropriate precautions when
particles, simply draw a line along the 6.6 % line.
digging soil up to test, as pathogens from animal faeces can
Fol ow the same procedure with Layer 2 and 3 values.
remain in the soil for up to 5 years. Anything I use for soil testing
The three individual layer values wil meet at one point, and for
gets disinfected to within an inch of its life, or just stays outside for
this sample, that fal s into the Loamy Sand category
any other garden jobs that come up.
You can either buy a whole load of consol jars, testing different
areas in your garden at one time. Then recycle them as
something marvellous like candle holders or vases. Or just buy
one and test one area at a time (that is if you have more than one
area of interest).
Layer
1 6.6
% Clay
Layer 2
Layer 3
4.4 %
89 %
Silt
Sand
What you end up with:
This test shows that this particular soil sample falls into the Sandy loam
category
This soil type has low water holding capacity and water drains fast
Therefore due to the low water holding capacity - nutrients will not be
retained in the rooting zone
Whatever soil type you may have, to know what you have as existing
soil in your environment is very valuable in going forwards to design
and instal your garden. The investment you commit to wil be more
sustainable, not just from the longevity for your plants standpoint,
but also knowing what wil survive without importing soil resources
in from outside. This wil go a long way to the sustainability of your
garden landscape. Of course, there are exceptions to this, and some
soils need surgery and fertilizer. Should this be the case, consider the
environment around you and go organic in your approach to
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improving your soil and plant health.
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