Soil

2026-04-09T02:07:57Z

47.13.14.72: I clarified the first sentence in the 'Notes' section to be more precise.

{{migrated article}}
{{av}}
{{Quality|Fine}}
[[File:soil_preview.png|thumb|270px|right|Probably not enough for 80 dwarves.]]'''Soil''' is the name for the various kinds of ground that can be [[farming|planted]] on (both above and below ground) without [[irrigation]] using [[water]]. In ''Dwarf Fortress'', 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".

{{Translation
| dwarven = adur
| elvish = avi
| goblin = snustrok
| human = ocul
}}
{| class="wikitable" cellspacing="0" border="1" cellpadding="5"
! Topsoil
! Tile
|-
|[[Loam]]||{{Raw Tile|░|6:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|6:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Loamy sand]]||{{Raw Tile|▒|6:6:1}}{{Raw Tile|.|6:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Peat]]||{{Raw Tile|░|0:6:1}}{{Raw Tile|.|0:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Sandy clay loam]]||{{Raw Tile|░|4:6:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Sandy loam]]||{{Raw Tile|░|6:6:1}}{{Raw Tile|.|6:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Silt]]||{{Raw Tile|▓|6:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|6:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Silty clay loam]]||{{Raw Tile|░|4:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Silt loam]]||{{Raw Tile|▒|6:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|6:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
! Ocean Floor
! Tile
|-
|[[Pelagic clay]]||{{Raw Tile|░|4:6:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Siliceous ooze]]||{{Raw Tile|▒|4:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Calcareous ooze]]||{{Raw Tile|▒|4:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
! [[Sand]]
! Tile
|-
|[[Sand (tan)]]||{{Raw Tile|░|6:4:1}}{{Raw Tile|≈|6:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Black sand]]||{{Raw Tile|▓|0:6:1}}{{Raw Tile|≈|0:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Red sand]]||{{Raw Tile|░|4:4:1}}{{Raw Tile|≈|4:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[White sand]]||{{Raw Tile|▓|7:6:1}}{{Raw Tile|≈|7:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
|[[Yellow sand]]||{{Raw Tile|▓|6:6:1}}{{Raw Tile|≈|6:1}} {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}}
|-
! Clay
! Tile
|-
|[[Clay]]||{{Raw Tile|▓|4:6:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}}
|-
|[[Clay loam]]||{{Raw Tile|▒|4:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}}
|-
|[[Sandy clay]]||{{Raw Tile|▒|4:6:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}}
|-
|[[Silty clay]]||{{Raw Tile|▓|4:7:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}}
|-
|[[Fire clay]]||{{Raw Tile|▓|4:6:0}}{{Raw Tile|.|4:0}}
|}
'''Notes:'''
* The first three sand types listed in the upper part of the table: Loamy sand, Sandy clay loam, and Sandy loam, do '''not''' count as [[sand]] for [[glass]]making, 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 {{Raw Tile|≈|3:1:1}} 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 [[stone|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 [[miner]]s.

Soil cannot be [[Smoothing|smooth]]ed, which makes it more difficult to make high-value rooms or pierce [[aquifer]]s, and impossible to carve [[fortification]]s, [[track]]s, or [[engraving]]s.

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 {{Tile|≈|6:0}} and {{Tile|~|6:0}} 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 {{Tile|≈|6:0}} and {{Tile|~|6:0}} 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 any [[cavern]] layer, all subterranean [[grass]], [[shrub]]s, and [[tree]]s growing within that cavern will begin to grow on any subterranean soil. Any kind of vegetation implicitly has some soil under it, even if it grew on [[mud]]dy stone; clearing the growth (such as by building a [[road]]) will thus create a soil floor, even in a stone [[layer]]. It will typically correspond to the lowest soil layer in the local [[biome]]; if that happens to be useful clay or sand, an enterprising player can use [[irrigation]] and some patience to move their sand/clay collection [[zone]]s closer to the [[magma]].

{{materials}}
{{soil}}

{{Category|Soil Layers|*}}
[[Ru:Soil]]

Dwarf Fortress Wiki - User contributions [en]

Soil