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Tiny particles (humus and clay) are very important for holding plant nutrients in the soil. Clay and humus particles have a negative surface charge. Cations are positively charged. Because opposites attract, the clay and humus hold cations, and prevent them from being leached out of the soil by water movement.
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The texture of soil, including its composition of sand, silt, and clay, affects water retention and drainage capabilities differently. Sandy soils drain quickly but have low water-holding capacity, while clay soils retain water tightly but have slower drainage. The article provides methods for determining soil texture, such as hand texturing and using online soil maps.
Nov 30, 2021 · Clay soil is a thick, nutrient-rich type of soil that comes with multiple pros and cons. This soil texture can make it hard to grow plants, but you can take advantage of its benefits by introducing some workarounds to overcome its weaknesses.
Jun 5, 2024 · Nutrient Retention: Clay soil excels in nutrient retention due to its negatively charged particles, which attract and hold positively charged ions (cations) such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. This cation exchange capacity (CEC) is typically much higher in clay soils compared to sandy or loamy soils.
It influences the soil’s ability to hold onto essential nutrients and provides a buffer against soil acidification. Soils with a higher clay fraction tend to have a higher CEC. Organic matter has a very high CEC. Sandy soils rely heavily on the high CEC of organic matter for the retention of nutrients in the topsoil. Background
The clay itself may be a source of plant nutrients when it degrades. Despite these known effects it is still difficult to predict soil behaviour from clay mineralogy. This is partly because the complexities of real clays in soil have been ignored in correlative studies, and that their effects on soil bulk properties are not understood.
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Due to low nutrient retention, higher amounts of fertiliser are applied to maintain optimum nutrient status. Liming is necessary but must be used carefully—‘little and often’. Organic matter, especially as humus, is very beneficial because it helps to hold water and plant nutrients in the soil and improve soil structure and biological ...
