Soil

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Soil is the name for the various kinds of ground that can be planted on (both above and below ground) without irrigation using water. In DF, the category of "Soil" includes all types of sand, clay, ooze and any "non-stone" layer equally, even if you or I generally don't associate that substance with "growing plants".

Topsoil	Tile
Loam	░. ≈
Loamy sand	▒. ≈
Peat	░. ≈
Sandy clay loam	░. ≈
Sandy loam	░. ≈
Silt	▓. ≈
Silty clay loam	░. ≈
Silt loam	▒. ≈
Ocean Floor	Tile
Pelagic clay	░. ≈
Siliceous ooze	▒. ≈
Calcareous ooze	▒. ≈
Sand	Tile
Sand (tan)	░≈ ≈
Black sand	▓≈ ≈
Red sand	░≈ ≈
White sand	▓≈ ≈
Yellow sand	▓≈ ≈
Clay	Tile
Clay	▓.
Clay loam	▒.
Sandy clay	▒.
Silty clay	▓.
Fire clay	▓.

Notes:

• The "topsoil" types listed in the upper part of the table do not count as sand for glassmaking, even if their names include the word "sand" - only those in the "Sand" section are usable for this purpose.
• The 3 "ocean floor" layers are only found under deep ocean tiles, usually far out from any embarkable site. Thus, they can rarely, if ever, be encountered in either fortress mode or adventurer mode.
• Soil layers marked with ≈ are capable of supporting an aquifer.
• The clay types listed at the bottom can be used for making ceramic items. Fire clay produces stoneware, while the other types produce earthenware.

In previous versions, types and quantities of available soils were listed at the bottom right of the fortress location selection screen; in the current version, however, it will only indicate the presence of soil and whether it can be used as clay.

Digging into soil does not generate any byproduct materials, unlike digging in rock, and also is a much faster process which makes it much easier to create storerooms and other large areas of empty space, and to train miners.

Soil cannot be smoothed, so it is more difficult to make high value rooms, or pierce aquifers. Also, since soil cannot be smoothed, soil cannot be used to make fortifications.

Building a farm plot or road or removing a construction on top of soil will cause it to become "furrowed", making it appear with the ≈ and ~ tiles. Furrowed soil — including furrowed subterranean soil — will gradually smooth itself out, at which point grass and other vegetation will begin to grow. Sand always appears as ≈ and ~ and cannot become furrowed - as such, sand roads do not last as long as those made on ordinary soil.

Trees and Shrubs

Once you discover the caverns, subterranean trees and shrubs will begin to grow on any subterranean soil.

"Soil" in other Languages Dwarven: adur Elvish: avi Goblin: snustrok Human: ocul

V · T · E Soil
Topsoil	Loam · Loamy sand · Peat · Sandy clay loam · Sandy loam · Silt · Silt loam · Silty clay loam
Ocean floor	Calcareous ooze · Pelagic clay · Siliceous ooze
Sand	Sand (tan) · Black sand · Red sand · White sand · Yellow sand
Clay	Clay · Clay loam · Fire clay · Sandy clay · Silty clay