Is loam the best type of soil to use to grow plants?

Question

I need to know and your reasoning on this.

Answer 1

Loam is considered best to grow most plant. Loam is descriptive of a soil composed of 25-50% sand, 30-50% silt and 10-30% clay. But different plants have different soil, nutrient, light, and water requirements. Considering just the soil composition won't necessarily produce the best plants.

For example nasturtiums will not flower well in nutrient rich soil, but they will produce lovely masses leaves. Poor soils are prefered.

Cactus do best in well drained soil with light water and most are not to picky about the soil.

Most flowering bulbs do very well in loam if it is well drained, but will rot in wet clay soil.

Happy growing!

Answer 2

The two types of soil on either end of the spectrum are clay and sand. Loam is in the middle. Loam is considered the best overall, because it has the nutrients of clay, but the drainage of sand. Most plants won't grow in clay soil, because it's very hard and sticky, and won't allow the plant roots to grow. Some plants need a fast draining sandy soil (like cactus), but it doesn't have much nutrients and doesn't hold moisture.

To loosen up a clay soil, sprinkle gypsum onto the soil and work it in as best you can. Then water it in. Repeat this every few days for a coupla-few weeks and the clay soil becomes loamy.

To make a sandy soil more loamy, add organic soil amendments (mulch, manure, peat moss, etc.) and work that into the soil. Then water it in.

Answer 3

Yes, loams are generally your best soil textures for plants. Recognize that different plants have different soil requirements. Not all plants will find a loam ideal. What makes a loam unique & such a good soil texture? As the previous post has illustrated, a loam has all three basic soil particle sizes (sand, silt, and clay). But a loam is unique in that these three elements are balanced. No one particle size dominates the performance of this soil texture. Sandy soils have little nutrient holding capacity, are sharply drained but do a really good job of allowing oxygen to a plant's roots. Clay soils have great nutrient holding capacity, but they stay wet and do not easily give-up their water to a plant's roots. They also have few pore spaces for oxygen which is so important to the operation of plant roots. Loams are the perfect balance of water holding capacity, open pore space for oxygen at the roots and nutrient holding capacity. In fact, the amount of water available to a plant's roots (capillary water) is greatest in a medium textured soil like a loam. Loams are neither too sandy nor do they need more clay. Loams will support the largest number of plant types of all the soil textures.

Answer 4

Technically loam is nearly equal parts of sand, silt and clay and has no bearing on the soil's fertility. However, the term is often used to signify a soil with an acceptable soil texture ( % sand, silt, clay), an organic component of less than 7% and a fertility level (available nutrients) suitable for plant growth.

Many different soils will support plant growth, it is up the the grower to understand the differences say in a sandy/clay/loam, clay/loam, silty/clay or perhaps a silt/loam and manage accordingly.

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

Loamy soil is sandy soil and it is good for plants, but too much of a loamy soil can be as much a problem as clay soils would be. What you want is a balance of both elements. Some clay and some loam. Compost would be a great addition as well. Too much loam will make watering a problem in that it will drain way too fast and can result in the need to water more frequently. Succulents and cacti would do well in loam soil, but anything that requires regular watering could suffer if forgotten.

Answer 7

Whenever I pot plants in old cooking pots (with no drainage) - they grow fantastically. I attribute this to the iron leached from the pot into the soil. The only luck I've ever had at starting seeds was with these pots. You know, the big soup pots with 2 handles on the side that have a silvery color. Buy a set of 3 for like $20 at a discount store and give it a try.

Answer 8

The best type of soil is Fox Farms "Ocean Forest". I don't care what the definition for loam is you wanna know what works and out of 15 years of using all types of different soils as well as soilless mediums in our company and results say "Ocean Forest" is the best. However for fast healthy growth and little effort you should go hydroponics if you can afford the set up cost. It will pay for itself!

Answer 9

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/avgy8

sandy holds too much water ,clay is too hard will kill plants rocky does not hold nutrients but is good for succulants with some loam between rocks and loam has good drainage and nutrients for plants to grow and good for root development.Check out site called learn2grow will tell you everything and will answer your guestions by email.

Answer 10

Yes because it drains easily(not to fast like sand and not to slow like clay).It is easy for the roots to grow in and stabilise the plant.