Soil Type in Himachal Pradesh

Soil in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh has wide variety of soils found in its valleys and tracts. Soil changes form place to place and with it changes the nature and type and with it changes the nature and type of vegetation it supports.

Soils found in Himachal Pradesh vary form rich deep alluvial soil of the dun type valleys to the thin and bare soils of the cold desert.

The type of soils found n third started are Himalayan

a) Alluvial soils,

b) Red and Black soils.

C) Ferruginous Red soils,

d) Brown soils,

e) Forest soils,

f) Podsolic soils,

g) Himalayan foothill/Terai soils,

h) Mountain and hill soils, and

i) High altitude meadow soils.

Soil formation in Himachal has a marked difference in character which is reflected in the vegetation patterns. Classification of soil in Himachal has been made according to five under mention zones.

Low hill soil zone upto and altitude of 1000 meter above sea level

The areas of this zone comprise Paonta Valley and Nahan thesil of Sirmaur district Kunihar area of Solan district, Balh valley of Mandi district and lower bhattiyat of Chamba district. The soils are not very deep and are embedded with stones. The areas under the zone are suitable for cultivation of wheat , maize , sugarcane , ginger, paddy and citrus fruits.

Mid hill soil zone areas between 1000 meter to 1500 meters above sea level

The soils are loam to clay, aoam in texture with greyish brown colour and well drained earth. Such soil is found in the lower parts of Pachhad and Rainka tehsuls of Surmaur district, Arki and Solan tehsils of Solan district Jogindernagar area of Mandi district, Kangra and Palampur tehsil of Kangra district, the Dalhousie, Chamba tehsil, upper bhattiyat and lower churah of chamba district, these areas are suited for growing table potatoes, wheat maize and stone fruits.

High hill soil zone areas between 1500 meters to 3000 meters above sea level

The soil layers are on steep slopes with good drainage. Soil texture ranges from silty loam to clay loam of dark brown colour. These soils are quite deep. The zone comprises the upper areas of the tehsils of Pachhad and rainka in Sirmaur district, upper Shimla Hills, chichot and Karsog  tehsils of Mandi and district. This soil is good for seed potatoes and temperate fruits.

Mountainous soils zone area between 3000 meters to 3500 meters above sea level

Area of Shimla district and higher altitudes of Sirmaur and Chamba comprise this zone. These soils are not much agricultural use. The soils are shallower in depth than high hill soil and its texture is salty loam to loam of dark brown colour.

Dry hill zone

This comprises Kinnaur district, Pangi sub tehsil of Chamba district and some area of Lahaul Spiti. The monsoon rainfall is almost negligible in the region. The soil is of high texture with variable soil fertility. The area is suited for dry fruit cultivation.