Properties of soil

• Soil has special properties which determine the type of soil. These properties are:

1. Absorption of water in soil
2. Moisture in the soil
3. Percolation rate of water in soil

Absorption of Water in Soil:

• The plants that grow on land grow in the soil, and they require water in the soil to help them grow.
• If the soil can 'hold' water, the plants will grow well.
• If the soil does not hold water, the plants would need frequent watering or they would die.
• The amount of water a particular type of soil can absorb is its water absorption tendency.
• Higher the absorption of water by soil, higher is its availability to plants.

Moisture in the soil:

• Soil has some amount of water present inside it as moisture.
• We can estimate the moisture content of the soil by the look and feel of it.
• Soil moisture helps to determine when it needs to be irrigated and how much water it needs.

Percolation Rate of Water in Soil:

• The rate at which water exits the soil is known as its percolation rate.
• Different soils have different percolation rate of water.
• For proper plant growth, it is important to check percolation rate of water in soil.
• In a well-drained soil, water will pass rapidly after it is irrigated.
• On the other hand, soil with a poor percolation will hold too much water for too long a time, which can be harmful to plants.