DIY soil testing lab

DIY soil texture testing

In this lesson, we begin with soil texture – a fundamental inherent property that strongly influences many other soil processes. You will also find guidance and video instructions for exploring further physical, chemical, and biological properties. The aim is not to classify your soil as good or bad, but to strengthen your observation skills, develop your scientific reasoning, and deepen your understanding of soil as a dynamic, living system.

Soil texture describes the relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay. Now it's your turn to explore it yourself. Watch the video instructions, grab a hand shovel or spoon, and take a stroll outside.

[Video instructions – currently in production.]

You can classify your soil based on your observations. The rows show whether you can form a ribbon from your soil and its length; the columns indicate how gritty the soil feels.

Ribbon	Very gritty	Intermediate	Very smooth
No ribbon	sand / loamy sand	sand / loamy sand	—
< 2.5 cm ribbon	sandy loam	loam	silt loam
2.5–5 cm ribbon	sandy clay loam	clay loam	silty clay loam
> 5 cm ribbon	sandy clay	clay	silty clay

If you prefer written instructions, you can consult step-by-step guidance for three slightly different feel methods: the flow chart of the 4th edition of the WRB, the ring-method poster by FAO, and the flow chart of the method presented in the video instructions.