2. WHAT IS SOIL?
Soil contains water and
minerals which plants need
for healthy growth.
Soil acts as a home for many living
organisms. These affect the quality of the
soil.
The non-living ‘skeleton’ of the soil consists
of rock particles, water, air and humus.
3. WATER
The soil holds water in two ways:
The soil particles are covered in thin films of
water.
Water can fill the spaces between the particles.
4. AIR
Air is an important
part of any soil.
Without enough
oxygen plant roots
do not grow well and
this effects the health
of the whole plant.
5. MINERAL SALTS
The minerals in the soil
come from the rock which
formed it and from the
action of bacteria on the
organic matter in the soil
(humus breakdown).
Mineral salts may give the
soil a particular colour –
red soils for example,
contain lots of iron.
Iron salts give
the soil a
reddish colour.
6. FERTILISERS
If the soil does not contain enough
nutrients, the farmer adds more as fertilizer.
