How to identify your soil type

Testing the soil where you’re about to build your new garden bed helps you understand which plants will grow best.

I am currently designing a new garden bed, and the soil sample test results showed that the soil is silt (91%) with a tiny percentage of clay (9%). Now I know to pick plants that prefer silty soil. Please refer to the bottom of this article to see which plants I chose.

How to test your soil

You need:

A glass jar with a lid. A tall slender jar is best.
Enough soil to fill your jar 1/3 full. The sample needs to be taken 1 ft deep from the top soil layer. You want as little organic matter as possible in this sample. Also, be sure to remove all coarse bits such as stones.
Enough cold water to fill your jar 3/4 full.
5 tablespoons of liquid dishwashing detergent.
A ruler, pencil and paper and a clock that indicates minutes.
A place where you can leave the jar undisturbed for a couple of days.

Prepare the sample:

Fill the jar about 1/3 full with a sample of your soil.
Add cold water until the jar is 3/4 full.
Add 5 tablespoons of liquid dishwashing detergent. This is important because it will dissolve the sticky organic substances that hold the soil aggregates together.
Close the jar tightly and shake it vigorously for 10 – 15 minutes to break up the soil aggregates.
Set the jar down quickly so the soil settles in horizontal layers. Organic matter doesn’t settle, but floats on top.