Soil is formed over a very long time through natural processes.
It starts with rocks breaking down into tiny pieces because
of weather, water, wind, and changes in temperature. This is called weathering.
Over time, plants grow in these small rock pieces. When plants and animals die, their remains mix with the broken rocks,
adding nutrients and making the soil rich. This process of mixing organic matter with weathered rocks creates fertile soil,
which is good for growing plants.
The main steps in soil formation are:
1. Weathering of Rocks: Rocks break down into small particles.
2. Mixing with Organic Material: Dead plants and animals decompose and add nutrients.
3. Formation of Layers: Over time, layers of soil (called soil horizons) develop.
Soil forms very slowly, often taking hundreds or thousands of years! It is important to take care of it because it helps grow
food, plants, and trees.
How soils form
Soil is the thin layer of material covering the earth’s surface and is formed from the weathering of rocks. It is made
up mainly of mineral particles, organic materials, air, water, and living
organisms—all of which interact slowly yet constantly.
Most plants get their nutrients from the soil and they are the main
source of food for humans, animals, and birds. Therefore, most living
things on land depend on soil for their existence.
Soil is a valuable resource that needs to be carefully managed as it
is easily damaged, washed or blown away. If we understand soil
and manage it properly, we will avoid destroying one of our
environment's essential building blocks and food security.
The soil profile
As soils develop over time, layers (or horizons) form a soil profile.
Soil has two main layers related to farming topsoil (root zone) and
subsoil.
Soil profile showing the different layers or horizons.
Soil horizons are the layers in the soil as you move down the soil profile. A soil profile may have soil horizons that are
easy or difficult to distinguish.
A horizon—humus-rich topsoil where nutrient, organic matter, and biological activity are highest (i.e. most plant
roots, earthworms, insects, and micro-organisms are active). The organic materials make the A horizon darker than
other horizons.
B horizon—clay-rich subsoil. This horizon is often less fertile than the topsoil but holds more moisture. It generally
has a lighter color and less biological activity than the A horizon. Texture may be heavier than the A horizon too.
C horizon—underlying weathered rock (from which the A and B horizons form).
Some soils also have an O horizon mainly consisting of plant litter accumulating on the soil surface. The
properties of horizons are used to distinguish between soils and determine land-use potential.
Weathering
Soil forms continuously, but slowly, from the gradual breakdown of rocks through weathering. Weathering can be a
physical, chemical, or biological process:
physical weathering—breakdown of rocks from the result of a mechanical action. Temperature changes,
abrasion (when rocks collide with each other) or frost can all cause rocks to break down.
biological weathering—the breakdown of rocks by living things. Burrowing animals help water and air get into
rock, and plant roots can grow into cracks in the rock, making it split.
3 Main Types of Soil
Clay is made up of very fine particles of rocks. This type of soil holds a
lot of water and becomes very sticky when wet. Clay soil can be used in
making pots. Clay soils also provide a wonderful foundation for plants to get
their roots into; a lot of perennials and annuals thrive in clay
soils since they can get a firm grip on the soil with their roots.
Loam contains the right mixture of particles; silt, sand and
clay. Loam can hold enough water and oxygen, which are
needed for plant growth. Loam soils generally contain more
nutrients, moisture, and humus than sandy soils, have better
drainage and infiltration of water and air than silt and clay- rich
soils, and are easier to till than clay soils. Loam soil is suitable for
growing most plant varieties.
Sand contains particles that are coarser than those of clay
and silt. It is loose and easy to dig. The soil is not good for growing
plants because it cannot hold water well. Water easily passes
through between soil particles. However, sand allows air to pass
through in between the particle
