Sandy, silt, and clay are the three main forms of soil composition. Nutrient deficiency is common in sandy soils. Because water drains quickly in sandy soil, nutrients leach out. When packed, sandy soils are known to be a little squishy. Silty soils contain medium-sized particles and are therefore fruitful to some extent. Silty soil becomes much more compacted when wet. If particles are left to dry, they will become dusty and will be blown away or washed away by runoff. Clay-based soils have a high nutrient content and are compact. It takes a long time for clay soil to dry because it retains moisture for an extended amount of time.