Soil Type
The key to good soil management is to understand the soil types on your farm. This can vary dramatically across a holding and it is important that where there is variation it is managed appropriately.
Soil can be classified in the five broad groups shown in this diagram.
Find out more about your soil:
Search for your soil type by putting your location into Soilscapes.
The mySoil app gives you access to a comprehensive European soil properties map within a single app. Discover what lies beneath your feet and help us to build a community dataset by submitting your own soil information.
Useful links for further information on Soil Management are here:
- EBLEX Better Returns encourages English beef and sheep producers to evaluate your businesses to identify where improvements can be made in terms of cost reduction, environmental impact and animal performance.
- Championing the Farmed Environment’s ‘soil management for your farm business’ guide can be downloaded here.
- The Think Soils manual is a practical guide to soil assessment published by the Environment Agency.
- Use the National Soil Resources Institute Information Paper to interpret the National Soil Map and Soil Classification.
- Catchment Sensitive Farming offers free advice and training to reduce diffuse water pollution from farming and claim for grants under the Capital Grant Scheme.
- The What’s In Your Backyard (WIYBY) tool will help you get an idea of what environmental state the water bodies around and through your land are in, guidance on using the tool can be found here.
- Focus on soil management is a handy guide from Farming futures.
Reports
NRM Laboratories
Professional Agricultural Analysis Group Reports - PAAG
UK soil analytical data to show breakdown by pH class and by P, K and Mg Indices.