Rub moist soil between your fingers. Gritty means sand. Smooth and slippery means silt. Sticky and moldable means clay. Texture describes the proportions of these three particle sizes, and it shapes how soil behaves more than almost any other property.

Sandy soils drain fast and warm early, but they hold few nutrients and dry out quickly. Clay soils hold water and nutrients well but drain slowly and compact easily. Loam, a balanced mix, is the goal for most crops.

The three particle sizes

• Sand, largest particles, gritty feel
• Silt, medium particles, smooth feel
• Clay, smallest particles, sticky when wet

Texture cannot be changed easily. Farmers adapt management to the soil they have, choosing crops, irrigation methods, and tillage practices that suit the texture. Adding organic matter improves workability across all textures.