What type of soil is characterized by approximately equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay?

Loam is the type of soil that is characterized by a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay, typically composed of approximately 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay. This balanced composition gives loam its ideal properties for agriculture and gardening, as it retains moisture without becoming waterlogged, provides good drainage, and has excellent nutrient-holding capacity.

The presence of sand allows for good aeration and drainage, while silt retains moisture and nutrients, and clay helps to bind the soil particles together, making it more cohesive. This combination makes loam particularly fertile and suitable for a wide variety of plants, contrasting with other soil types that might dominate in one texture over the others. For instance, sandy soil consists mainly of larger particles, leading to quick drainage but low nutrient retention. Clay soil has small particles and can hold a lot of moisture but may become compacted and hard to work with. Silty soil, while better than sand or clay alone in terms of moisture retention and nutrient availability, does not achieve the same optimal balance that loam does.