 Did you know that soil moisture is necessary for plant growth? When soils reach optimum temperatures for seed germination and shoot growth, moisture must be present to ensure that those plants have a chance at survival. Soil moisture is needed for many functions that relate to plant growth, including carrying nutrients to roots, regulating soil temperature, soil formation, and photosynthesis. Soil moisture is also needed to maintain soil biological and chemical processes. The microbes in the soil are dependent upon moisture for many metabolic activities. Water holding capacity of soil is dependent upon its texture, organic matter content, structure, and past management practices. You can easily measure the amount of moisture that is available in your soils by simply digging a hole and looking at and feeling the soil. The Natural Resource Conservation Service has developed a guide that can be used to determine soil moisture content by feel. It is structured around crop guidelines but can be used for all types of soils, including gardens and rangelands. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center predicts soil moisture throughout the United States using computer models. These models can also be useful when predicting drought conditions. Plants will be shooting up in no time, giving enough soil moisture. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Ashley Garls, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.