What are the characteristics of sandy soils?

Sandy soils are characterized by less than 18% clay and more than 68% sand in the first 100 cm of the solum. Sandy soils are characterized by a lack of structure or that it is weakly developed. Sandy soils are often dry, nutrient deficient and fast-draining. They have little (or no) ability to transport water from deeper layers through capillary transport. Therefore, tillage of sandy soils in the spring should be kept to a minimum in order to retain moisture in the seedbed. The nutrient- and water-holding capacity of sand soils can be improved through adding organic material.