soil types
Ground classification categories
Soil types are classifications of soil based on characteristics like texture, composition, and drainage.
Sandy, clay, loam, and silt describe texture—how coarse or fine the particles are.
Other systems classify by formation, chemistry, or agricultural suitability: The soil type determines which crops will thrive.
Gardeners and farmers consider soil type when choosing plants or amendments.
- earthSoil or electrical grounding
- sandyFull of fine grains
- sandy loamGritty, well-draining earth
- dirtLoose dry earth
- clayeyContaining fine sediment
red clay · black earth · nutrient-rich · organic · potting mix · ferruginous · silty · fertile · laterite · calcareous · marl · crumbly · arable · drainage · rocky · barren · hydric · volcanic
- local gardeningnative plants, seasonal planting, growing seasons, hardiness zones, native shrubs
- ecologyhabitat, ecosystem, balance, niche, food webs
- regional featurestopography, coastlines, valleys, plateaus, wetlands
- farming knowledgecrop rotation, companion planting, seed saving, fallow fields, composting
- regional landscapingnative plants, climate zones, xeriscaping, rain gardens, rock gardens
- soil scienceclay, sand, silt, loam, humus
soil typeswater bodies
Geographic liquid accumulations
pavement · concrete · asphalt · impervious surfaces · bare rock
soil typesartificial turf
Manufactured grass-like ground covering
soil, soiled, types, soils, topsoil, soiling, unsoiled, subsoil