FEEL AND APPEARANCE METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE AVAILABLE MOISTURE IN THE SOIL Feel, Appearance, and Texture of Soil AWC (In/Ft) Available Moisture Moderately coarse Medium textured Fine & very fine Coarse textured soils textured soils soils textured soils 0.5-1.25 1.25-1.75 1.5-2.3 1.6-2.5 Powdery dry; in Hard, & Dry, and single some places Dry and loose; flows cracked; has loose 0 - 25 % grained; flows through slightly crusted but through fingers crumbs on surface fingers breaks down easily in some places into powder Somewhat Appears to be dry; Appears to be dry; Somewhat crumbly but holds 25 - 50% does not form a ball does not form a ball pliable; together under under pressure* under pressure* under pressure* pressure Forms a ball under Forms a ball; Appears to be dry; Balls under pressure pressure; ribbons out 50 - 75% does not form a ball but seldom holds somewhat plastic; between thumb & under pressure* together slicks slightly forefinger under pressure Sticks together Forms ball; very Ribbons out Form weak ball that slightly; may form a pliable; slicks between fingers 75 - 100% breaks easily; does very weak ball under readily if relatively easily; has a slick not slick pressure high in clay feeling On squeezing, no free Same as for Same as for coarse Same as for coarse water appears on soil coarse textured At Field Capacity textures at field textured at but wet outline of ball soils at field capacity field capacity is left on hand capacity Free water appears Free water is Puddles; free Above Field Free water can be when soil is bounced released with water forms on Capacity squeezed out in hand kneading surface Research and 16483 County Seat Highway Telephone: (302) 856-7303 Irrigation system evaluation.
FEEL AND APPEARANCE METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE AVAILABLE MOISTURE IN THE SOIL Available Moisture Feel, Appearance, and Texture of Soil AWC (In/Ft) Coarse textured soils Moderately coarse textured soils Medium textured soils Fine & very fine textured soils 0.5-1.25 1.25-1.75 1.5-2.3 1.6-2.5 0 - 25 % Dry, and single grained; flows through fingers Dry and loose; flows through fingers Powdery dry; in some places slightly crusted but breaks down easily into powder Hard, & cracked; has loose crumbs on surface in some places 25 - 50% Appears to be dry; does not form a ball under pressure* Appears to be dry; does not form a ball under pressure* Somewhat crumbly but holds together under pressure Somewhat pliable; under pressure* 50 - 75% Appears to be dry; does not form a ball under pressure* Balls under pressure but seldom holds together Forms a ball under pressure; somewhat plastic; slicks slightly under pressure Forms a ball; ribbons out between thumb & forefinger 75 - 100% Sticks together slightly; may form a very weak ball under pressure Form weak ball that breaks easily; does not slick Forms ball; very pliable; slicks readily if relatively high in clay Ribbons out between fingers easily; has a slick feeling At Field Capacity On squeezing, no free water appears on soil but wet outline of ball is left on hand Same as for coarse textures at field capacity Same as for coarse textured at field capacity Same as for coarse textured soils at field capacity Above Field Capacity Free water appears when soil is bounced in hand Free water is released with kneading Free water can be squeezed out Puddles; free water forms on surface Research and 16483 County Seat Highway Telephone: (302) 856-7303 Irrigation system evaluation.
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