Quick reminder
- Jar one-third soil, nearly full of water; shake hard; leave overnight.
- Sand settles first (bottom), silt next, clay on top once the water clears.
- Measure each layer’s height with a ruler (same units). Enter them below.
Layer heights
Total settled soil: —
Your jar
(schematic)
(schematic)
Your soil mix vs loam
Sand
—
target 40%
Silt
—
target 40%
Clay
—
target 20%
—
A jar test is diagnosis, not a lab assay. Organic matter, gravel, and incomplete settling skew the bands. Treat ±5 percentage points as “close enough” for backyard beds — then compost on purpose instead of guessing with miracle bags.
Next step: Download the free Suburban Soil Fix Sheet (PDF) — jar % → what to add this weekend. No email wall.
See the full backyard system →