SOIL PHYSICAL COMPONENTS “Getting to the root of the problem” sand silt clay air water Cation exchange tillage roots.

SOIL PHYSICAL COMPONENTS

“Getting to the root of the problem”

sand

silt

clay

air

water

Cation exchange

tillageroots

Mineral

CLAY<0.002mm

0 1mm 2mm 3mm 4mm 5mm

SAND2.0 - 0.5 mm

0.5 - .002mmSILT

Soil Particle Sizes

100% 0%

0%

0%100%

100%

LoamSilt Loam

Silt

Sandy Loam

Loamy SandSand

Clay loamsilty clay

loam

clay

sandy clay loam

sandy clay

Soil Texture

Percent SAND

Per

cent

CLA

YP

ercent SILT

Soil Structure. . . the arrangement of soil particles into aggregates

Soil aggregates

Organic

End of PART 2.

“Soil Physical Components”

Slide set developed by:

Dr. Charles Mitchell

Extension Agronomist-Soils & Professor

Auburn University

for use in the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program