Can Soil Affect Plant Growth?

Texture

• Every soil has a slightly different texture and appearance. The texture and appearance of the soil is directly determined by the components found therein. For instance, desert soil contains less than 1 percent plant matter and 99 percent weathered rock, known as sand. This soil is considered ideal for desert plants such as cactus because it is so well-draining. On the other hand, swamps and bogs contain as much as 50 percent plant matter and hold water so effectively that the only plants that can survive are those that thrive in water.

Macronutrients

• Macronutrients are the major nutrients that all plants need to survive and that are taken directly from the soil. Macronutrients in the soil include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Plants readily absorb these nutrients from the soil to grow, which means that most soil is easily stripped of the nutrients if plant matter is not reintegrated by composting and fertilizing.

Micronutrients

• Plants also require certain nutrients in smaller amounts. The micronutrients that plants require include boron, copper, iron, chloride, manganese, zinc and molybdenum. These nutrients can be found as trace elements in soil and are enhanced in the soil through reintegration of grass clippings and tree leaves.

Acidity

• Every plant requires a different soil pH to survive. A soil's pH directly determines how easily and readily nutrients are absorbed by plants. For instance, plants in highly acidic soil will have difficulty absorbing iron. In general, crop plants thrive in a pH-neutral soil, citrus does best in acidic soil and most trees thrive in alkaline soil.