Sandy soils have coarse grains and lack organic matter, which makes them very free-draining. They are easy to dig, can be cultivated all year round, and warm up guickly in spring for early sowings. Self-seeding plants can become a nuisance: they germinate freely, but weeds and unwanted plants can easily be pulled out.

Loam soils are ideal, having a good balance of clay particles to retain moisture and nutrients, and sand grains to improve drainage. Loam usually has a healthy worm population, and most plants thrive with little extra feeding. A clay loam will be slower to warm up in spring than a sandy one.

Clay soils are some of the most fertile, because clay particles hold on to nutrients. When well drained, they can be dug to break up solid areas and incorporate bulky organic matter like manures and composts — this is the best way to improve poor drainage, a common problem with clay soils.

Chalk soils are usually pale and peppered with fragments of flint or limestone, making digging difficult They tend to be free-draining and low in humus or organic matter. They warm up quickly in spring but can be shallow, overlying solid rock. Chalk also has a high pFI, excluding the growth of lime-hating plants.