How to Measure Soil Texture

Rub a small bit of moist soil back and forth between your thumb and fingers and observe how it feels. If the soil feels gritty, it probably has a high amount of sand. Smooth soil is probably silt, and soil that sticks together has a high clay content.

Form a ball of moist soil that is big enough to squeeze in the palm of your hand. Sandy soils will break when you apply light pressure. Silt soils will stick together but remain malleable. Clay soils will form a hard ball that does not break easily. This test is also known as the moist cast test.

Perform the ribbon test. Moisten a small ball of soil and squeeze it in the palm of your hand. Squeeze the soil between your thumb and forefinger and try to form a ribbon with the soil. Sandy soils will not form a ribbon. Loam, silt, silty clay loam or clay loam will form a small ribbon, less than 1 inch in length. If your soil is sandy clay loam, silty clay loam or clay loam, the ribbon will be about 2 inches long. Ribbons longer than 2 inches indicate sandy clay, silty clay or clay soil.

Obtain a soil test from your local university extension. A laboratory analysis provides thorough information not only about your soil's texture, but also about its pH and nutrient content. Lab tests determine the texture by finding the exact percentage of sand, silt and clay in your soil. You will need to take about five or six samples from various areas in your lawn or garden, then mix them all together in a large plastic bucket to produce a good sample for the lab. The lab analysis will also provide ideas for how to improve your soil, if necessary.