Sand

• If you are growing root plants such as carrots and potatoes, choose a sandy soil. The benefit of sandy soil is that it contains large grains that allow air and water to move more easily through it. As a result, plants' roots move easily through the soil to reach nutrients and water. In addition, digging holes for your root plants is less exhausting because sandy soil is not very dense. Sandy soil also will help to break down organic amendments. Other plants that flourish in sandy soils include grapes, creeping junipers, weigela shrubs, Japanese roses and butterfly bushes.
  
  

Clay

• Flowering ornamental shrubs such as potentillas and viburnums can be planted in gardens that feature clay soil. The twining climber runner bean along with switchgrass also flourish in clay soil. In addition, flowers such as black-eyed Susans, Japanese irises, daylilies, ferns, asters and coreopsis grow well in clay soils. Clay soil contains fine particles that have tiny spaces between them. Water and air do not move easily through clay soil, which clumps together when it becomes wet. As a result, plant roots do not easily penetrate clay soil, which is why crops are not a good choice for this soil type.
  
  

Peat

• Plants suitable for growing in peat soils are witch hazel shrubs, the lantern tree, rhododendron flowers and camellia shrubs. Peat soils contain a high proportion of organic matter because the soil is acidic. The acidic nature of the peat prevents decomposition because the bacteria that decompose organic material cannot thrive in acidic conditions. In addition, peat soil is dark and warms quickly in the spring, allowing earlier planting activities. Peat retains water well and is especially effective for growing plants when combined with fertilizer.
  
  

Silt

• Silt soil is ideal for growing crops. The space between silt particles is small because the particles are smaller than those of sand. As a result, silt soil can better hold water and retain nutrients. In addition, silt is easier to cultivate than clay. Pomegranate plants grow well in silt soil, as do ornamental vines, the New Zealand flax flowering plant, hakonechloa grasses, the tobacoo plant and mahonia shrubs.