Soil texture

Soil texture is one of the most important properties of soil. Soil texture describes the balance in the soil between the constituents including sand, silt and clay as well as organic matter. With experience, texture can be established by touch, as several of the activity sheets explain.

Soil can vary tremendously in even a short distance, within a garden, from one side of the street to another or within a field. Learning about soil texture helps you to appreciate how soils are formed - as well as giving you a good feeling for the likely characteristics of soil. Note these images are of dry soils rather than being naturally wet - this helps us to see the soil structure more clearly.