The common myth about soil is that it is totally solid. While minerals and organic matters are components of soil, it also contains water and air. Though most people will describe soil as brown or red, it comes in every color of the rainbow. However, purple soils are rare. Many people may consider soil as sterile. But in reality, it is full of microbial life. Due to its microscopic nature, we know far less about the soil beneath our feet than about the surface of the moon. We can’t really classify soil as ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’. Even desert soil supports desert plants.
Nonetheless, self-watering soil is not a myth at all. Created by engineers from The University of Texas at Austin, it consists of a 1:3 weight-ratio combination of hydrophilic (water-attracting) hydrogels and natural sandy soil. Once the soil has been placed outdoors in a field, the gels absorb water from the relatively humid, cool nighttime air. A single gram of the soil can pull in around 3 to 4 grams of water.
