Clay

• Clay is a soil that is sticky and pliable when wet, but extremely hard when dry. Water does not infiltrate easily into clay. When water does pass through clay, it drains slowly and poorly. Clay that has poor aeration is usually blue and brown. Clay that has good aeration is red in color. While some clay is rich in nutrients, it is often poor for cultivation because of its poor water drainage.
  
  

Sand

• Sand has a rough texture and is made up of large particles of limestone, quartz and shale. Sand does not retain water well as water quickly drains through it. Sand can support grasses and plants that retain their own moisture. Usually, sand is poor in nutrients as water washes the nutrients right through. Adding compost to the soil can help to improve the nutrients and will help bind the sand together, improving water retention.
  
  

Loam

• Loam is often touted as the perfect soil. It is a mix of 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt and 20 percent clay. It is a loose and rich soil. The organic makeup of the soil makes it highly fertile. Loam is able to absorb and store soil well. You can roll loam into a ball but it will crumble if you bump it. The mineral makeup of the soil allows water droplets to cling to the particles while allowing the soil to be properly aerated for plant growth.
  
  

Peat

• Peat is mostly organic matter such as leaves, grasses and other organic remains. The acidity of the soil prevents the organic material from decomposing. Peat has a tendency to over-retain water. Mushrooms and other fungi often grow in peat soil due to its wet nature. Gardeners will often add peat to the soil to improve water retention. Peat can be used as a fuel if it is dried.
  
  

Silt

• Silt is a fine grained soil. It has a smooth texture but looks like a fine, dark sand. Silt has good drainage as it remains well aerated. It also retains moisture well. Silt is extremely fertile due to the amount of organic material present in the soil. Silt is often deposited on flood plains of rivers. Farmlands often are located on floodplains because of the fertile silt deposited during floods.
  
  

Chalk

• Chalk is an alkaline soil that is extremely poor quality. Chalk is a solid rock, usually containing calcite, which breaks easily. While fertile, the alkaline nature of the soil prevents the uptake of iron and other nutrients in plants. Chalk drains easily and does not retain water well. Gardeners will fertilize chalk soils to provide an environment suitable for growth.