Why is soil texture important?

The best soils for gardening have a range of pore sizes, and continuous or connected pores that allow water, roots and organisms to move easily through the soil. This is best achieved in a soil that has some particles from each size class (otherwise known as a ‘loam’).

Healthy soils have a mix of particles of each size:

• small (clay)
• medium (silt)
• large (sand)

The small spaces trap water and provide habitat for microorganisms, while the larger spaces allow free drainage and passages for roots and organisms, with the ideal garden soil is described as having up to 50% pore spaces, and half of these are filled with water.