The soil provides anchorage for the plant and stores the nutrients and water that support plant growth. It also contains soil organisms.
Soils can vary widely between localities.
Soil management groups are based on soil texture. The texture is the relative percentages of sand, silt and clay particles that make up the soil. Various soils have different amounts of pore space, which affects soil aeration and drainage. Here are some groups and their compositions. Clods cannot be broken with fingers without extreme pressure.