An ideal soil contains 25 percent air, 25 percent water, 45 percent mineral material and 5 percent organic matter. ... If a soil lacks any of these components, plant growth is limited.

It’s the end of the season, and we’re all starting to tuck in our garden beds for winter. The soil in your raised garden bed has worked hard all season to impart nutrients to your vegetables ...

The other components that make up petrichor—a myriad less powerful ... “Geosmin seems to be more prevalent in moist, fertile soils.” The presence of moist soil means the presence of water, and it’s ...

Some kits will also detect complementary components, such as organic matter and carbon, which don’t directly help plants grow but may impact the nutrient retention of the soil.

Organic matter in soil consists of both living and nonliving material. The living organic matter is made up of bacteria, fungi, and plant roots. Nonliving organic matter consists of plant ...

As separate components that vary so significantly in size, these three soil particles contribute different properties to healthy soil. Sand, being the largest component, is made of hard minerals ...