How a Plant Grows in Two Different Types of Soil

One Soil Type

• One of the main soil types for growing plants is clay soil. Clay soil contains very fine particles that make this type of soil dense. Clay soil's benefits include the fact that it retains water very easily. In addition, clay soil holds nutrients well, which is ideal for situations when plants lack some of the nutrients they need to survive. Clay soils often are used as fill soils in urban areas and typically are hard to manipulate when dry but become heavy to lift when wet. Ideal plants for use in clay soil include asters, potentillas, ferns and the Japanese iris.

Another Soil Type

• The second main soil type is sandy soil. Sandy soils contain much larger particles than do clay soils and thus are not as dense. Because the particle sizes are larger and organic matter is lacking, water and nutrients drain away from plants more quickly and easily. This is helpful to keep plants from drowning or from receiving too many unneeded nutrients. Sandy soils are most helpful to plants during rainy seasons. They often are present along streams and rivers as well as along the coasts. Good plants to grow in sandy soil are the yarrow, penstemon, the crape myrtle and the cleome.

Clay Cons

• A main disadvantage of clay soil is that it holds in too much water during times in which rainfall is heavy or when an excess amount of water already is available in the earth. In this situation, the roots of plants can become waterlogged and have a difficult time surviving. Also, the fact that clay soils hold nutrition effectively can provide plants with too much nutrition if they do not have a need for it. Adding organic matter that reduces soil compaction is helpful for plants growing in clay soil.

Sand Disadvantages

• Sandy soil is not beneficial for plants that are extremely dry and need water or that do not have enough of a certain nutrient, as the structure of sandy soil essentially keeps these important items from them. For example, drought conditions can be harmful to plants growing in sandy soil. Sandy soils typically grow very little plant life unless they are amended with organic matter. Organic matter actually fills in the bare spaces among the soil's large particles and thus makes the sand more able to hold water and nutrients to sustain plant life.