Clay soils are not always a bad thing. Soils with a high content of nutrients, such as clay and silt, are ideal for growing plants. Clay soils, on the other hand, can become either excessively wet or too dry, making them impossible to work in. Make a probe into your soil and see how much clay you can find there. Get some soil between your fingers and run it between them. To get a velvety texture, the clay content is higher. When wet soil is rolled into a ball, it includes more clay. Fortunately, you may locate plants that flourish in clay soils and soil amendments that will allow you to cultivate a larger variety of plants.