Introduction

The major components of soil are silt, clay, and sand. The major difference between soil and dirt is that soil sustains life and is valuable while dirt is unwanted soil. Dirt can be on a car, on the bottoms of shoes, or on the floor. Soil is formed by the weathering and erosion of a parent material like rock or sediments. These particles eventually mix with organic matter, or humus, and produce the productive soils seen in our backyards. Soil textures are determined mostly by what components the soil is made of. A sample with relatively even amounts of clay, sand, and silt is considered loam. The color of soil can tell how much leaching occurs and the abundance of humus. Darker soil can dictate a higher percent of humus, and lighter soil can suggest leaching.

Leaching soil

Soil with a high humus content

The structure of soil is an indicator of compaction through 'clumps.' The pH of soil largely impacts its solubility. Most minerals and nutrients are more easily absorbed in slightly acidic (<7 pH) soils than neutral or basic environments. In very acidic soils, organic materials are not broken down as easily and may stall plant growth. In the Lake Zurich area, being in a temperate forest with croplands causes soils to be tilled in general with silt dominating the structure. Soil analysis is important to the average gardener/farmer. If one knows that there is a high percentage of humus in their soil, then less money would be spent on fertilizers or supplemental soils. The amount of leaching in soil can save money on water and irrigation. By knowing one's soil composition, a farm can advertise responsible agricultural techniques through their products. They can also promote environmental awareness, as the lack of fertilizers reduce nutrient pollution.

Different places have different soil composition. Hawaii, being a tropical volcanic island, has mostly silty clay soil and silt based loam. In Arizona's A horizon, about 54% is sand, 28% silt, and 18% clay. Georgian soil consists of sandy loam to a sandy clay deeper in the soil horizons. These soils all have different fertility and leaching levels.