Fragipan

Fragipan is like a very stubborn and hard layer of dirt that is found in some soils. It can prevent water from passing through the soil, making it difficult for plants to grow.

Imagine you are playing in a sandbox and you accidentally spill a little bit of water on the sand. The water quickly soaks into the sand and disappears. But now imagine that there is a layer underneath the sand that is super hard and doesn't let water pass through. When you pour water on the sand, it just sits on top and doesn't soak in like it did before. This is what fragipan is like in soil.

Fragipan is made up of really tiny particles that are stuck together really tightly. This makes it difficult for water to pass through, and it can also make it hard for plant roots to grow. It's like when you try to push your toy car through a pile of muddy dirt. It's hard to move it around because the mud is blocking the way.

Farmers and gardeners have to work extra hard to make plants grow in soil with fragipan. They might try to break up the hard layer of soil or add special nutrients to help the plants grow better. So next time you dig in the soil, try to see if you can feel a hard layer somewhere deep down. That could be fragipan!