Loam is a type of soil that gardeners and farmers prize above all others. It contains a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay, along with organic matter like decomposed leaves and plants. This combination creates soil that drains well enough that roots don't rot, yet holds moisture and nutrients effectively.

If you've ever grabbed a handful of rich garden soil that felt neither gritty like sand nor sticky like clay, but somewhere perfectly in between, you were probably holding loam. When you squeeze it, loam holds together in a loose ball that crumbles easily when you poke it.

Plants thrive in loam because their roots can spread easily through it while still getting the water and nutrients they need. Farmers describe their best fields as having loamy soil, and gardeners often spend years working compost and other materials into their soil to create loam. While you can grow plants in other soil types, loam makes everything easier: seeds sprout more quickly, roots grow deeper, and plants produce more fruit and flowers.