Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of

variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological,
physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics. It is composed of particles of
broken rock that have been altered by chemical and environmental processes that
include weathering and erosion. Soil texture refers to sand, silt, clay and humus
composition. Soil content affects soil behavior, including the retention capacity for
nutrients and water. Sand and silt are the products of physical weathering, while clay
is the product of chemical weathering. Clay content has retention capacity for
nutrients and water. Clay soils resist wind and water erosion better than silty and
sandy soils. Humus is degraded organic material in soil, which causes some soil
layers to be dark brown or black..

In Denmark are 4 types of soil:

 Clay soils are heavy, high in nutrients, wet

and cold in winter and baked dry in summer

 Sandy soils are light, dry, warm, low in

nutrients and often acidic

 Silt soils are fertile, light but moisture-

retentive, and easily compacted

 Humus are fertile high in nutrients

Figur 1. Humus
Figur 2. Sand soil
Figur 3. Silt soil
 Clay soils have over 25 percent clay.
Also known as heavy soils, these are
potentially fertile as they hold nutrients bound to the clay minerals in the soil.
But they also hold a high proportion of water. They drain slowly and take
longer to warm up in spring than sandy soils. Clay soils are easily compacted
when trodden on while wet and they bake hard in summer, often cracking
noticeably.

 Sandy soils have high proportion of sand and little clay. Also known as light
soils, these soils drain quickly after rain or watering, are easy to cultivate and
work. They warm up more quickly in spring than clay soils. But on the
downside, they dry out quickly and are low in plant nutrients, which are
quickly washed out by rain.
 Silt soils, comprised mainly of intermediate sized particles, are fertile, fairly
well drained and hold more moisture than sandy soils, but are easily
compacted.
 Humus can hold the equivalent of 80–90% of its weight in moisture, and
therefore increases the soil's capacity to with stand drought conditions. The
dark color of humus (usually black or dark brown) helps to warm up cold soils
in the spring.
 Sandy soil Clay soil

Sandy soil has a gritty element - you can feel sand grains within it, and it falls
through your fingers. It cannot be rolled to make a sausage shape. If it is not a coarse
sand and perhaps a sandy loam it may stick together better. Clay soils are rich in
nutrients and very fertile if their cloddiness can be broken up by the addition of
organic matter.

Clay soil has a smearing quality, and is sticky when wet. It is easily rolled into a long
thin sausage and can be smoothed to a shiny finish by rubbing with a finger.  If is it
not a heavy clay it won’t get quite as shiny and be as easy to make a sausage.

Pure silt soils are rare, especially in gardens. They have a slightly soapy, slippery
texture, and do not clump easily. These soils are made up of fine particles that can be
easily compacted by treading and use of garden machinery

Humus has a characteristic black or dark brown color, due to an accumulation of

organic carbon. Soils contain a great amount of matter which results from the decay
of vegetables and animals; to a compound of which with earthy material the name of
humus is given.