Soil Water Holding Capacity and Infiltration 🌱

Soil texture and structure play a key role in how much water soil can hold, and how easily it infiltrates. Finer-textured soils, such as clay, have a higher water holding capacity than sandy soils, but also hold it more tightly. The video explains key concepts relating to soil structure and water holding capacity, including Readily Available Water (RAW), Plant Available Water (PAW), wilting point and how they affect plant growth. As well as demonstrating how to assess soil types, we are then shown how to calculate our soils water holding capacity in millimetres, which can then be used as an irrigation scheduling tool. By understanding these principles, irrigators can better match irrigation volumes and timing to their soil’s capacity, improving water use efficiency and supporting healthy plant growth.