Why do clay and organic soils hold nutrients better than sandy soils?
Chemically, clay and organic soils have many negative sites that attract and hold positively charged nutrient ions, such as potassium (K+), calcium (Ca++) and magnesium (Mg++). Pure sand alone, on the other hand, has no negative sites. The nutrient-holding capacity of a sandy soil is directly related to the amount of clay and organic matter mixed with and coating the sand. In addition, because sandy soils are porous, water moves freely through the soil profile carrying nutrients downward with it.
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