WHAT’S YOUR SOIL’S TEXTURE?

SOIL HEALTH SERIES

Estimate the texture of your soil with a SIMPLE HOME TEST!

1. Remove organic debris (sticks and leaves) from one cup of soil and place the soil into a one-litre mason jar. 
2. Add water to within four centimetres of the top of the jar.
3. Add one drop of liquid detergent and shake vigorously for one to two minutes. 
4. Allow jar to sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

Course particles (SAND) will settle first, with SILT and CLAY layers settling out later. The resulting layers can be measured to estimate the relative amounts of each. By comparing these numbers to a soil triangle (below), soil texture can be estimated.

ANOTHER WAY to estimate texture is the finger test:
                                                 
Simply rub a small amount of wet soil between your fingers. You will be able to distinguish between a predominantly sandy soil (gritty), a silty soil (silky but not sticky) and a clay soil (smooth and sticky).


Sources:
Chalker-Scott, L. Soil Myth Busting for Extension Educators: Reviewing the Literature on Soil Structure and Functionality.

Research Gate. Canadian Soil Texture Triangle.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Canadian-soil-  texture-triangle-that-uses-only-two-axes-to-determine-soil-texture-from_fig3_50917086