When it comes to farming, soils play a fundamental role in the types of crops that can be grown successfully.

Having a basic understanding of soil properties will help you better understand which crops to plant, potential drainage issues, and fertility management considerations. Even those who know  a lot about soils already might make some new connections by revisiting the fundamentals.

You will learn:

• Soil properties to help guide your plant selection.
• Potential drainage issues to look out for.
• Soil fertility management considerations.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2020-38640-31522 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number ENC20-191. USDA is an equal-opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.