We may view soil as something which is a dirty, solid, brown mess. However, in reality, the soil is not exactly solid. In fact, it is half empty, making it different from a rock. The ‘empty’ space however is not actually void, but includes an array of worms, plant roots, as well as water and air. Oxygen and water are crucial ingredients for organisms to survive.

When describing soil, we usually imagine it to be brown, however, there are plenty of colourful layers. The majority of the hues that make up the colours of soil include red, yellow, orange, and sometimes black that stems from organic matter. However, wetlands do contain some unusual minerals resulting in soil with more unusual colours like blue, green and purple.

Soil is therefore multifaceted as well as colourful!

Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.

Support Us