Did you know that your soil is a living, breathing ecosystem and is easily one of the most complex ecosystems on earth?! There are billions (perhaps trillions) of organisms in a small handful of healthy soil, with millions of different species.
Typically, a healthy soil consists of:
-5% organic matter
-25% pore space holding air
-25% pore space holding water
-45% mineral material
Organic matter is anything that is or once was alive and is now in the soil. It is important in soils as it retains nutrients and water, increases water infiltration, and helps soil resist compaction.
Mineral material makes up almost 50% of the soil and consists of sand, silt, and clay. These categories differentiate from each other based on particle size. The weight of each of these elements will determine what texture class any particular soil falls into.
When deciding what type of species of grass or forbs you are considering, it is imperative to know what type of soil dominates the potential reseeding project site. While this is not the only consideration when selecting species, it is a significant one.
Bamert Seed Company has a tool to help for this! For an in-depth look at what will be successful given soil type be sure to check out this link.
Need more information on soil types and what species would work best for your soil, be sure to also check the free Web Soil Survey.
Still have questions about your soil, feel free to reach out to our TAMU AgriLife Extension Rangeland Specialists or Soil Crop Specialists!