Thread: Loose Soil
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Old 25-03-2005, 11:38 PM
mleblanca
 
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Structure and texture both sound like mechanical qualities to me.
Mineral
content sounds like a chemical quality.


Soil "texture" refers to the size of the particles in a mineral soil.
It is a basic property, not readilly subject to change.
Mineral soil is composed of small particles:
sand 2mm-0.05mm
silt 0.05-o.002mm
clay less than 0.002mm
Loam is a mixture of almost equal parts of each.

"structure" refers to the grouping and arrangement of these soil
particles.
Particles form aggregates or granules aided by "humus" a sticky gel
like substance formed by decompostition of OM. Humus binds the
particles together to form "crumbs". There are spaces between the
crumbs called "pores" or pore space, occupied by air and water.
Good soils are said to have "good crumb"

So I would say that your are correct, Doug.

Emilie
NorCal
I got this info from a soil text when I did a presentation to the
garden club.