Silt Soil

Small sand and rock (mostly quartz) particles compose silt soil. Silt soil particles are smaller than sand soil particles, yet bigger than clay soil particles. Silty soils tend to retain nutients as silty soil is generally compact. Water also retains well in silt based soil, making it quite fertile. Unlike clay soil, silty soil is easy to work with when wet and even better to work with when wet, as it can become too dense when dry. Silt soil tends to erode easily as the soil particles—though more compact than sandy soil—are not prone to stay completely unified with one another. The soil along the Nile River is mostly silt soil, a key part to what allowed the anicent Egyptian civilization to thrive. Adding organic matter to silt soil can improve its fertility.

tags: silt ·