Soil type help needed.

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by LittleWeed, May 25, 2011.

  1. LittleWeed

    LittleWeed Gardener

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    I am trying to assertain the type of soil I have. i.e. sandy or clay!

    My mother-in-law, who I have always considered to know what she was talking about when it comes to garden but rarely on other subjects, has always complained that our soil is clay. Too much so infact. I have done the soil in a jar test and decided that it is mostly sand.

    What I did was this: I used a large jar (approx 1kg size) and half filled it with soil after removing as many of the stones as I could. Filled the jar with water to approx 3/4 full and gave it a really good shake to mix.

    After ten minutes I measure the settled soil level and found it to be 5.5cm.

    Approx 24 hours later it was 6.5cm. Today almost a week later, the water level is as clear as it is going to be (I can see through it) and the level is still 6.5cm.

    From this I conclude that it is about 85% sand. My MIL still insists it is clay and I am wrong. So, I dug a whole, as suggested by another friend, about 30cm square and about 30 cm deep and filled it with water. My friend says that if it drains very quickly I am right but if it takes a while then she is right. It drained within about 3 minutes!

    She still insists that I am wrong. Assuming that I am, what am I doing wrong?
     
  2. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Hi Littleweed, I hate to say this but Bristol stands on Clay subsoil, so I would say your M in L & friend are right.. I know the area North of Bristol is Red clay as well, but you are in a clay soil area really.. There is of course also Bristol mud stone which as I understand it is the compressed clay & that hardens with age.. Allot of old small properties were built with is back in the 16-17 hundreds.. Your garden soil will depend on how old it is & how far down you dug your hole of course I think.. :WINK1: :D
     
  3. LittleWeed

    LittleWeed Gardener

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    I am not disputing your comments Marley ... hense why I am asking. But I don't understand why two tests that is supposed to tell me my soil is clay says its sand!

    It is a new build home (5 years old) and the ground was very much a building site with turf laid on top, and very poorly at that.

    I first dug over the ground to a depth of a spade a few weeks ago. The ground wasn't very hard but extremely stoney and dried out to a reasonable crumble over a couple of days. I have applied horse manure and forked it in but that still hasn't broken down so not really doing much yet.

    If it were clay, would it drain so easily? I could get out there with the buckets of water now and it wouldn't pool for more than a few minutes.

    Like I said, I am not arguing your point, just trying to understand how and why it all works. I hate being a novice and hate not knowing even more!
     
  4. wiseowl

    wiseowl FRIENDLY ADMIN Staff Member

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    Hi Littleweed this might help.:)

    Sandy
    Silty
    Clay
    Loamy
    Peaty
    Chalky


    Soils are usually a combination of these ingredients in varying quantities.

    Sandy Soils
    Sandy Soils have a gritty texture and are formed from weathered rocks such as limestone, quartz, granite, and shale. If sandy soil contains enough organic matter it is easy to cultivate, however it is prone to over-draining and summer dehydration, and in wet weather it can have problems retaining moisture and nutrients.
    Silty Soil
    Silty soil is considered to be among the most fertile of soils. Usually composed of minerals (predominantly quartz) and fine organic particles, it has more nutrients than sandy soil yet still offers good drainage. When dry it has rather a smooth texture and looks like dark sand. Its weak soil structure means that it is easy to work with when moist and it holds moisture well.
    Clay Soil
    When clay soils are wet they are very sticky, lumpy and pliable but when they dry they form rock-hard clots. Clay soils are composed of very fine particles with few air spaces, thus they are hard to work and often drain poorly - they are also prone to water logging in spring. Blue or grey clays have poor aeration and must be loosened in order to support healthy growth. Red colour in clay soil indicates good aeration and a "loose" soil that drains well. As clay contains high nutrient levels plants grow well if drainage is adequate.
    Loamy Soil
    Considered to be the perfect soil, Loamy soils are a combination of roughly 40 % sand, 40% silt and 20% clay. Loamy soils can range from easily workable fertile soils full of organic matter, to densely packed sod. Characteristically they drain well, yet retain moisture and are nutrient rich, making them ideal for cultivation.
    Peaty Soil
    Peaty soil contains more organic material than other soils because its acidity inhibits the process of decomposition. This type of soils contains fewer nutrients than many other soils and is prone to over-retaining water. Through good management and use of fertiliser and artificial drainage excellent plants can be grown.
    Chalky Soil
    Chalky soils are alkaline, usually light brown in colour, and contain large quantities of stones of varying sizes. They dry out quickly in the summer and have a tendency to block trace elements such as iron and manganese so that they are unavailable to plants - this in turn causes poor growth and yellowing of leaves. Chalky soil is extremely poor quality and needs regular, substantial addition of fertilizers and other soil improvers.
     
  5. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Hi Littleweed,

    Clay shrinks when it dries, sand doesn't.

    Is the house built in a river valley ? As that would give you a sand/silty soil.

    Other thing is, as its new build, the soil could have been imported from somewhere else.
     
  6. LittleWeed

    LittleWeed Gardener

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    Wiseoldowl ... thanks for that ... interesting to reasd through.

    Ziggy ... lol there is no top soil of any quality at all. Imaging the building site, bricks and all: House built, turf chucked down and a few slabs to get to the front door.

    It is housing association so there were a number of short cuts taken.
     
  7. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Aah, bit like my home plot then.

    Clay particles are like little platelets, they are sticky and slide over each other. Porous(they hold water) but semi impermeable (don't let much water through.

    Sand particles can be rounded, sub angular to angular, they don't hold together and are permeable.

    Dry a lump of clay and cook it, it will become pottery.

    Dry a lump of sandy soil and it will fall apart.
     
  8. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    The Bristol Channel area tends to be clay soil, which, nutrient wise, is the best soil to have. May I ask what the concern is regarding the soil type? Also, any chance of some pics of a spadeful of said soil?:dbgrtmb:
     
  9. LittleWeed

    LittleWeed Gardener

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    daitheplant ... I am not sure that there is necessarily a 'concern' about my soil but I feel that I just want to be able to understand it better. When I am asked what type of soil I have I don't want to reply like my wife does ... 'it's brown dirt!'

    I will post a pic or two tomorrow. Surface and a spade depth down.

    p.s I am North Bristol if that makes a difference. Horfield area.
     
  10. daitheplant

    daitheplant Total Gardener

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    I would still err on it being clayey, BUT, if your garden is where the mixer was, then you COULD have a lot of sand there.:dbgrtmb:
     
  11. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Why not contact the soil association in Bristol then.. I would imagine they would be able to help you find out Littleweed..
    Soil Association : Home They are only in Marlborough St..
     
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