What do you call this soil?

peebee · November 9, 2015

I know I don't have the best of soils and have been amending constantly, whether its adding compost or cover cropping, etc. But I want to know what to call this type of soil I've been seeing all over my garden nowadays--is it silt, sand, or something worse?
Here's a brief description: it is what I would call almost dust-like. Very fine, and when I water the beds, all this dust-textured dirt floats on the surface. It takes a long time for the water to drain, which is not a good sign. Could it be that the soil has started to decompose over time? I know I need more "loaminess", more texture.
I used to make more compost than I do now, stopped cuz of the rodent problem. But I have added manure and dried leaves yearly. What else can I do to improve this? The beds are being cover cropped now but the floating dirt bothers me.

Thanks for any suggestions.

November 9, 2015	#1
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	What do you call this soil? I know I don't have the best of soils and have been amending constantly, whether its adding compost or cover cropping, etc. But I want to know what to call this type of soil I've been seeing all over my garden nowadays--is it silt, sand, or something worse? Here's a brief description: it is what I would call almost dust-like. Very fine, and when I water the beds, all this dust-textured dirt floats on the surface. It takes a long time for the water to drain, which is not a good sign. Could it be that the soil has started to decompose over time? I know I need more "loaminess", more texture. I used to make more compost than I do now, stopped cuz of the rodent problem. But I have added manure and dried leaves yearly. What else can I do to improve this? The beds are being cover cropped now but the floating dirt bothers me. Thanks for any suggestions.