Classifying Soil Texture Using the Mason Jar Soil Test

To do the mason jar soil test:​ 1. Fill a mason jar with one cup of soil (be sure to remove any large rocks, sticks and other organic materials from soil before continuing)​ 2. Add 3 tablespoons of water softener OR liquid dish soap OR laundry detergent powder​ 3. Fill the mason jar 2/3 full with tap water and screw on the lid​ 4. Using the stopwatch, shake the mason jar vigorously for at least 5 minutes ​ 5. Then allow soil to settle for 24 hours on a flat surface​ 6. To determine soil type, calculate rough percentage of each layer in sample using the ruler. DO NOT MEASURE THE WATER. Only measure the different soil layers (clay will be top layer, silt will be middle layer, and sand will be bottom layer.) ​ 7. Follow the estimated percentages on the three sides of the triangle until all lines converge. This will be your soil type​ E.g. ) 10% clay, 20% silt and 70% sand converges at sandy loam. See triangle for example. Thanks for watching! Check out our linktree below for our website, social media pages, and other important links! https://linktr.ee/uwecologylab