ANSWER: If you’ve overwatered your tomato plants, the plants will show it with wilted leaves and stems that are discolored to yellow or brown and may even fall off. You may also see blisters or bumps on foliage and…

Compacted soils have less infiltration, greater runoff, a higher risk of erosion, and more restricted root growth than soils without compaction. It is harder for plant roots to grow through compact hard soil so the plants will not grow as well and will not be as healthy.

The best way to tell what type of soil you have is by touching it and rolling it in your hands.

• Sandy soil has a gritty element – you can feel sand grains within it, and it falls through your fingers.
• Clay soil has a smearing quality, and is sticky when wet.
• Pure silt soils are rare, especially in gardens.

Soil is a substrate for plants to grow in. Soil provides support, nutrients, and a network of water and air to the plant’s roots. Plants can grow without soil, but they will need structures to support them, the correct amount of water and air to their roots, and ample nutrients.

Soil helps anchor plants and provides them essential elements of water and nutrients. Plants prevent soil erosion and provide organic matter.

There are many reasons why a tomato plant’s leaves turn yellow. Under-watering and over-watering can both cause yellowing leaves, as well as nitrogen deficiencies in the soil, a lack of sunlight on the bottom leaves, or a possible disease (which tomatoes have plenty of).

Curling or rolling of tomato leaves can be caused by various factors, including environmental stresses, viral infection, and herbicide damage. To determine which factor is the culprit, it pays to take a close look at the plant(s).

Answer: The roots of plants take nutrients and water from the soil for the plant. While different plants do need different growing conditions, it’s generally important to make sure that they have all of these in order to grow well and produce fruit, vegetables, flowers, seeds and grains.

Yes, the type of soil does effect how the plant grows.

Soil pH affects the availability of nutrients to plants (Figure 3). In acid soils (pH is low) calcium and magnesium become more available to plants, whereas the micronutrients iron, aluminum and manganese become soluble and can reach levels toxic to plants.

Silt, clay and sand are the three main types of soil. Loam is actually a soil mixture with a high clay content, and humus is organic matter present in soil (particularly in the top organic “O” layer), but neither are a main type of soil.

Soil contains air, water, and minerals as well as plant and animal matter, both living and dead. These soil components fall into two categories. Other, less common minerals include calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. The biotic and abiotic factors in the soil are what make up the soil’s composition.

The major components of the Earth are water, air/gases, minerals, organic and biological components, microorganisms and gases.

The five factors are: 1) parent material, 2) relief or topography, 3) organisms (including humans), 4) climate, and 5) time. If a single parent material is exposed to different climates then a different soil individual will form.

Rainfall

Soil Forming Factors

• Parent material. Few soils weather directly from the underlying rocks.
• Climate. Soils vary, depending on the climate.
• Topography. Slope and aspect affect the moisture and temperature of soil.
• Biological factors. Plants, animals, micro-organisms, and humans affect soil formation.
• Time.

Most soils have three major horizons (A, B, C) and some have an organic horizon (O).

Through the interactions of these four soil processes, the soil constituents are reorganized into visibly, chemically, and/or physically distinct layers, referred to as horizons. There are five soil horizons: O, A, E, B, and C. (R is used to denote bedrock.) There is no set order for these horizons within a soil.

FOUR LAYERS

Loam soils

Clays

THE FIRST STEP IN SOIL FORMATION IS THE WEATHERING. SOILS THAT USUALLY DEVELOP FASTER AND FLATTER. PLANTS AND ANIMALS. LOTS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT DEVELOP SLOW SOIL TRENDS.

The soil profile is an important tool in nutrient management. As the soil weathers and/or organic matter decomposes, the profile of the soil changes. For instance, a highly weathered, infertile soil usually contains a light-colored layer in the subsurface soil from which nutrients have leached away.

O horizon

Here is a break down of the common traits for each soil type:

• Sandy soil. Sandy Soil is light, warm, dry and tend to be acidic and low in nutrients.
• Clay Soil. Clay Soil is a heavy soil type that benefits from high nutrients.
• Silt Soil.
• Peat Soil.
• Chalk Soil.
• Loam Soil.

There are three main types of soil: sand, silt, and clay. The best soil for most plants to ensure optimum growth is a rich, sandy loam….Loam Soil

• Higher pH level: The best pH for most plants is between 6.0 and 7.0.
• Higher calcium level: Plants need calcium for healthy growth.

Alluvial soil

Black/dark brown soil usually indicates the presence of decaying organic matter so is generally fertile. Pale brown/yellow soil often indicates that organic matter and nutrients are low and this generally means poor fertility and structure.

Alluvial soil is the most fertile soil because it has a loamy texture (contain sand, clay and slit) and is rich in humus, contains organic nutrients. A granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles are called sand. Sand with clay and slit helps to increase fertility of alluvial soil.

Clayey soil