Brown earth

Young soils with little profile development
Well drained with good nutrient retention

Photograph of a brown earth soil profile showing deep, well-drained brown soil with a relatively uniform texture through the profile. A black measuring scale marked in centimetres is positioned vertically in the centre of the pit, with stones and crop residue visible at the surface.

Most widely cultivated soils in Ireland

Map of Ireland titled “Brown Earth Soils.” Green areas indicate where brown earth soils are the dominant soil type, while light blue shading shows areas where they also occur. These soils are widely distributed across the south, east, and midlands. County boundaries are outlined in grey, with a legend distinguishing dominant and associated areas.