loams
Rich earth mixtures
Loams is the plural of loam, a rich soil composed of roughly equal parts sand, silt, and clay—ideal for gardening and agriculture because it retains moisture while draining well.
Different loams vary in their exact composition: sandy loams drain faster than clay loams.
The word appears most often in gardening guides and soil science.
Moldable earth for ceramics
- siltWaterborne earth particles
- sandFine rock particles
- humusDecayed organic soil matter
- topsoilNutrient-rich surface earth
earthworm · friable · crumb · aggregate · horizon · pedology · subsoil · texture
Decayed organic fertilizer
- mulchProtective plant bedding
- amendmentChange to official text
- pottingPlacing in soil vessels
- raised bedsElevated soil enclosures for planting
planting · seedbed · cultivation · trowel · digging · enrichment · nutrients · organic
clay
Moldable earth for ceramics
topsoil · earthworm · friable · crumb · aggregate · horizon · pedology · subsoil · texture · drainage
compost
Decayed organic fertilizer
raised beds · planting · seedbed · cultivation · trowel · digging · enrichment · nutrients · organic · worms
cropland
Land for growing produce
fertility · yield · irrigation · wheat · corn · pasture · cultivation · acreage · fields · harvest
loamssandy soils
Ground dominated by coarse particles
clay soils · hardpan · gravel · silt · peat
loamsbarren soil
Earth lacking fertility
hardpan · depleted soil · rocky soil · waterlogged soil · desert sand
- sandy loamGritty, well-draining earth
- loamy soilBalanced, fertile earth mixture
- clay loamSoil with balanced texture
- rich loam