It is the air, water and nutrients in the ground, though, that the growing plant really relies on. These are taken up by the roots and then used by the plant to form flowers and leaves. The relative proportions of all these, along with pH, determine soil type. The six soil types Loamy soil Often seen as the ultimate garden soil because most plants will grow in it, this is brown and crumbly in texture and similar to that found on well worked allotments. It is rarely waterlogged in winter or dry in summer and supports a wide range of plants.
Loamy soil is light and easy to dig and is naturally high in nutrients.
This means it can be bone dry in summer and plants will need far more watering and feeding than on any other soil. Chalky soils are always alkaline, which restricts the number of plants that can grow on them. Planting may also be difficult as spades frequently hit lumps of hard chalk or flint. Clay soil Clay soil is sticky to handle and can be easily rolled into a ball shape. It does pose some problems.