Texas Soil

 

While residing in the county in Georgia I decided to take my gardening to another level by growing some fruits and vegetables. Georgia is filled with a log of clay which meant that the soil needed to be turned over; to do so required that compost be applied to break down the clay into a soil that can be used to harvest plants. This approach resulted in the growth of green beans, lettuce, broccoli and even watermelons to name a few. 

When I arrived to Texas I was curious of the soil type and what can be produced from it. While researching I found that the soil type here is vertisols which is a type of soil that is rich in clay minerals calcium and magnesium with an ability to respond to moisture changes. Vertisols are an exclusive soil that can be found in tropical climates and is used for the cultivation of plants such as cotton, wheat and rice. With rice being one of the worlds essential crops, wheat being significant in our diets and cotton being in high demand for the clothes that we wear; all three plants are staple commodities. 

Vertisols are of the 12 class of the Unified Soil Classification System and are categorized in the major division as a Fine-Grained Soil. Another great quality of vertisols is its self-mulching property which is its ability to reform itself after its structure has been affected by puddling. This type of mulching process will assist the soil in regulating its temperature which will aid in keeping the roots of the cotton, wheat and rice plants cool as the seasons change. Vertisols soil can withstand degradation caused by environmental factors and other sources making them a world-wide resource. Due to its high productivity vertisols are the backbone of our agriculture and will continue to be utilized in the production of our crops world wide.