Soil Types

Water capacity, infiltration rates, and irrigation recommendations for 5 soil types.

Water Holding Capacity Ranking

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Selected

Water Capacity450 mm/m

Infiltration12 mm/hr

Field Capacity65%

3.5–6.0

pH Range

Poor

drainage

Compare

Water Capacity100 mm/m

Infiltration15 mm/hr

Field Capacity18%

5.5–7.5

pH Range

Good

drainage

Peat holds 350 mm/m more water than Sandy Loam

This means longer intervals between irrigations — reducing labor and system wear

Organic soil with extremely high water holding capacity and acidic nature

Poor Drainage

450

AWC mm/m

Infiltration mm/hr

65%

Field Capacity

3.5–6.0

pH Range

Available Water Capacity450 mm/m

Infiltration Rate12 mm/hr

Field Capacity65 %

Wilting Point20 %

Moderate infiltration — standard drip or micro-sprinkler scheduling works well
High water holding capacity — fewer irrigation cycles needed, deep root zone storage
Poor drainage — monitor for waterlogging, consider raised beds or drainage systems
Maintain soil pH between 3.5–6.0 for optimal nutrient availability

Soil	AWC	Infiltration	Field Cap.	pH	Drainage
Peat	450	12 mm/hr	65%	3.5–6.0	Poor
Volcanic	250	8 mm/hr	40%	5.0–7.0	Good
Clay	230	1 mm/hr	45%	6.5–8.2	Moderate
Silt	190	6 mm/hr	35%	6.2–7.8	Moderate
Sandy Loam	100	15 mm/hr	18%	5.5–7.5	Good

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