Soils and Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: Soil Physical Characteristics

Soils are a foundational component of the landscape, providing a medium for plant root growth and playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling and water movement across the landscape. This new 7-page article describes the physical properties of soils, including soil formation in Florida, the soil profile, and water dynamics within soils, and provides a thorough reference for Master Gardeners and other individuals searching for a basic understanding of soil dynamics to apply to residential landscapes. Written by Amy L. Shober, Alexander J. Reisinger, Mary G. Lusk, and Sally Ann Scalera and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg458 This document combines and supersedes the following publications: Shober, Amy. 2008. “Soils and Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: The Soil Profile and Soil Classification: SL260/MG445”. EDIS 2008 (6). https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/117366. Shober, Amy. 2009. “Soils and Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: Soil Physical Properties: SL268/MG451”. EDIS 2009 (1). https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/117542. Shober, Amy. 2009. “Soils & Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: Soil Drainage and Water Holding Capacity: SL272/MG453”. EDIS 2009 (1). https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/117544. Shober, Amy, and Thomas Obreza. 2009. “Soils & Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: Soil Formation in Florida: SL274/MG455”. EDIS 2009 (1). https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/117547.