Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Soil type affects how it retains water and nutrients.Photograph: iStock/Getty Images (Photograph: iStock/Getty Images) I often ...

Depending on where you live, you're likely to have one of six different types of soil: loam, clay, sandy, silty, chalk, or peat. Knowing which type of soil you have in your yard is important—and will ...

CAPUTA, S.D.— Understanding your soil type is a vital tool to developing your farming and ranching practices. “Those properties of the soils dictate how we are going to basically utilize those soils ...

I called on the experts to share the key differences and why it’s important to know (for your yard’s sake).

Knowing, understanding, and controlling your soil’s pH are all crucial to having a successful garden. The tool to help you with all three is a soil test kit. The best soil test kit provides you with a ...

You've probably read countless seed packets and planting guides that use words like "sandy," "clay," "loam," and "silt" to describe the ideal soil texture for what you're planting. But you might not ...

Regularly testing your soil is more important than you might think for helping your plants thrive. Soil tests measure soil pH and nutrient content. The soil of established gardens should be tested ...

Nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient in growing plants. When deficient, plant yields and quality are reduced. However, excessive nitrogen applications could cause concerns in water quality and ...

Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program highlights the importance of soil sampling to understand the nutrient content of agricultural soils. Soil ...

Soil is more than just dirt under your feet. It is foundational for homes and healthy lawns and gardens. It’s important. Ensuring it is composed of the right “stuff" is essential for making sure it is ...

Anxious about the rueful state of his peas, radishes and onions, Rod Marquardt arrived at the University of Minnesota’s soil testing laboratory with two lunch bag-sized containers of dirt. “We’re just ...