In New Jersey, clay soils are typically found in the northern part of the state and sandy soils in the south. Both of these basic soil types can be improved to benefit plant production. Clay soils are very compact with little aeration. Often plant roots suffer from oxygen starvation when the small air spaces fill with water. Clay also binds the water up, causing plants to wilt even though the soil is moist.
Sandy soils have opposite problems.
The soil particles are so large that they do not hold water. Irrigation water is wasted when it percolates down below the root zone and plants have to be watered more often. Moreover, the lost water will carry with it valuable nutrients where they are inaccessible by plants. In both sandy soils and clay soils, the remedy to these problems is the same -mix in organic matter. This provides for more surface area in sand and breaks up compact clay.