BSc. Horticulture

horticulture, the branch of plant agriculture dealing with garden crops, generally fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. The word is derived from the Latin hortus, “garden,” and colere, “to cultivate.” As a general term, it covers all forms of garden management, but in ordinary use it refers to intensive commercial production. In terms of scale, horticulture falls between domestic gardening and field agriculture, though all forms of cultivation naturally have close links. (Britannica)

The Main Soil Types

• Sandy Soil:  High proportion of sand and little clay. Also known as light soils, drain quickly after rain or watering, are easy to cultivate and work. 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. low in nutrients and often very acidic.

• Clay Soil: Also known as heavy soils, have over 25% clay, these are potentially fertile as they hold nutrients bound to the clay minerals in the soil and they also hold a high proportion of water due to the capillary attraction of the tiny spaces between the numerous clay particles. Easily compacted when trodden on while wet and they bake hard in summer, often cracking noticeably. 

• Silt Soil: Features medium-sized particles, fairly well drained and hold more moisture than sandy soils, but are easily compacted and is quite fertile, though it compacts easily. 

• Loam Soil: A balanced mix of sand, silt, and clay; it is fertile, drains well and easily worked. Widely considered the best soil for gardening. They can be clay-loam or sandy-loam depending on their predominant composition and cultivation characteristics

• Peat Soil: High in organic matter and very dark, it is spongy, holds plenty of moisture, and is naturally acidic. They are seldom found in gardens.

• Chalky Soil: Also called lime-rich soils containing calcium carbonate it sits over limestone or chalk bedrock and is very alkaline, drains freely.

Identifying your soil type

The best way to tell what type of soil you have is by touching it and rolling it in your hands.

• 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 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

If soil froths when placed in a jar of vinegar, then it contains free calcium carbonate (chalk) or limestone and is lime rich.

Another important aspect of soil type, is the pH (acidity or alkalinity). This will also affect the type of plants you can grow and how you manage your soil.