What soil retains the most water?
The clay soil had the highest water holding capacity and the sand soil had the least; clay>silt>sand. Clay particles are so tiny and have many small pore spaces that make water move slower (the highest water holding capacity). Sandy soils have good drainage but low water and nutrient holding capacities.
Loam: Loam is considered the perfect soil. This soil is a combination of sand, silt and clay. This soil is gritty and retains water while also having good drainage. It normally has the highest amounts of organic matter.
Clay soil has small, fine particles, which is why it retains the most amount of water.
Soils with smaller particles (silt and clay) have a larger surface area than those with larger sand particles, and a large surface area allows a soil to hold more water. In other words, a soil with a high percentage of silt and clay particles, which describes fine soil, has a higher water-holding capacity.
The soil's ability to retain water is strongly related to particle size; water molecules hold more tightly to the fine particles of a clay soil than to coarser particles of a sandy soil, so clays generally retain more water.
Clay soils retain more water and nutrients than sand, but there is little percolation of the water and less oxygen for the plant due to smaller pore sizes than those of coarser textures.
The larger the surface area the easier it is for the soil to hold onto water so it has a higher water holding capacity. Sand in contrast has large particle sizes which results in smaller surface area. The water holding capacity for sand is low.
Water retention refers to the amount of water retained by the soil. After the rest of the water has percolated, this is the amount of water that stays in the soil.
Clayey soil is made up of small sized particles. The particles of the soil are tightly packed and has less space between them. So, water does not drain through it easily.
Gravity keeps blood lower in your body. That increases the pressure inside the blood vessels in your legs and feet and causes fluid to leak into those tissues. Sitting or standing too long can cause your tissue to hold water.
Can sand or clay hold more water?
Clay particles have the ability to physically and chemically “hold” water molecules to the particle more tightly than sands or silts. Sands “give up” the water between the pores much easier than silts or clays.
Clayey soil contains small sized particles, sandy contains large particles while loamy is the mixture of both small and large particles in equal proportions. Thus, the water holding capacity is highest in the clayey soil.
: a mixture (as for plastering) composed chiefly of moistened clay. : a coarse molding sand used in founding (see found entry 5) : soil. specifically : a soil consisting of a friable mixture of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand.
Sand cannot hold water owing to its large particle size through which water easily percolates downward. The particle size of clay is the smallest amongst all the soil types due to which it provides a maximum surface area for the water molecules to get absorbed.
It will hold water on the surface but it also will absorb and hold water for extended times. In fact, it has one of the highest water retaining capacities of all soils (source). If you are having problems with water standing in your yard, you need to increase the aggregates in the soil to allow for better drainage.
Loamy soil is ideal for most garden plants because it holds plenty of moisture but also drains well so that sufficient air can reach the roots.
Water retention, called “edema”, refers to excess fluid that is improperly stored in the muscles and other organs of the body. The main causes of water retention are a sodium-heavy diet and lifestyles in which sitting and standing for many hours in a row is common.
Loam is the fourth type of soil. It is a combination of sand, silt and clay such that the beneficial properties of each are included. For instance, it has the ability to retain moisture and nutrients; hence, it is more suitable for farming.
The mixture of rock particles and humus is called the soil. Living organisms, such as bacteria, plant roots and earthworm are also important parts of any soil. The soil is classified on the basis of the proportion of particles of various sizes.
Water can be held tighter in small pores than in large pores. For this reason a clay loam with its many small pores can hold more water than a sand. The small pores allow the soil to hold more water by capillary forces.
What is retaining water easily?
Water retention, also known as fluid retention or edema, occurs when excess fluids build up in your body. Water retention occurs in the circulatory system or within tissues and cavities. It may cause swelling in your hands, feet, ankles, and legs. There are several potential causes, including: Hormonal changes.
Eat protein. Protein attracts water and keeps your body balanced. A special protein called albumin produced by the liver keeps fluid in the bloodstream and prevents it from leaking out and causing swelling.
Soil water retention is a major soil hydraulic property that governs soil functioning in ecosystems and greatly affects soil management. Soil moisture forms a major buffer against flooding, and water capacity in subsoil is a major steering factor for plant growth.
Clayey soil have very little space between its particles and thus, it can absorb and retain maximum water.
The use of water crystals or peat can be beneficial to boost the water holding capacity of potplant soil.
Soil types with good water retention
Loamy soil has a combination of sand, clay, and silt which make up a soil structure that allows for water to drain out slowly. Loamy soil with a good amount of organic content will be able to hold on to the most water. Clay soils retain water the best, but usually too well.
The soil holds water in two ways: (1) as a film coating on soil particles, and (2) in the pore space between particles. When water infiltrates into the soil from rain or irrigation, the pore spaces are nearly filled with water.
Hygroscopic Water
It is found not only in pores but also on the surface of soil particles. These are tightly held in soil and cannot be eliminated except for over drying at 105 ℃. Hygroscopic water is tightly bound to soil by adhesion properties, which causes some water only to be consumed by the roots of plants.
A typical loam soil will consist of roughly 50% soil solids (a combination of sand, silt, and clay) and 50% pore spaces and water. The size and distribution of pore spaces will depend on the size and shape of the mineral particles, as well as the activity of microorganisms.