True or False? Clay soils can retain more nutrients than sandy soil.

Study for the Maryland Fertilizer Exam. Prepare through flashcards and multiple-choice questions with detailed hints and explanations. Ensure your success on the test!

Clay soils can retain more nutrients than sandy soils due to their physical and chemical properties. The fine particles that compose clay create a larger surface area relative to their volume, which allows for more cation exchange sites. This is where soil particles can hold onto positively charged nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, making them available for plant uptake.

Additionally, the compact structure of clay slows down water movement, which can help retain moisture and prevent leaching of nutrients. In contrast, sandy soils have larger particles and greater pore spaces, which facilitate quick drainage and can result in nutrients being washed away before plants have a chance to absorb them.

This characteristic makes clay soils generally more fertile and better suited for nurturing plant growth, assuming other factors such as soil pH and organic matter content are adequate. Hence, the assertion that clay soils can retain more nutrients than sandy soils is true.

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