Logic tells me that rolling or compacting sandy soil will decrease its water holding capacity because it decreases the air spaces between the grains of sand that are capable of holding water. I think the only way to increase sandy soil water holding capacity is to add organic matter.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I'm with you Nora, Compost or organic matter helps with water holding capacity, buffers pH, and enhances soil structure.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Compacting sandy soil might increase the holding capacity as it would decrease the pore space and slow the drainage. While this might decrease the space available to hold water, it would increase the sandy soil's ability to hold the water longer.

So, Yes


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I think not. I had a place outside of Albuquerque that was the old Rio Grande river bottom. It took me 6-7 years of running that old muddy Rio Grande irrigation water to seal the top. So you have to have something to seal it, notvpack it down

Each year,I could run that water further out into the field, but I had do have a good head of water to do it. My ditch made 3000 gallons a minute,but one gopher hole that broke thru the crust could defeat my entire day of watering


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Yes.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

WOW! Now that's a surprise! Glad I don't have sandy soil. Not a practical solution to roll an entire field. Perhaps more doable for lawns.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I have a pretty good library of agricultural books from the same time period as when these questions were written and every time I see a question that stumps me, I always say I'm going to go look that up and read a little more about it. It seldom turns out though that I ever have time to do that before I forget. This is one of those questions that I'd like to know more about. I don't have sandy soil by any stretch of the imagination. Ours is clay to clay loam, which presents it's own problems. I mainly cultipack to break up clogs or to firm up a seed bed over alfalfa but packing the soil is never an issue here. On the other hand, increasing soil organic matter is a never ending battle for us and we are slowly seeing some improvement with many tons of manure, old hay, leaves, saw dust, and basically anything that will rot along with cover crops and green manures. My knowledge of sandy soil is limited to it's being ideal for sweet potatoes.


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I suspect it has to do with capillary action and closing the spaces in between the large sand particles?
Billy


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Mark me down as one who learned something here. I am just to used to farming clay soils and packing them is a swear word!


7 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum