Physical factors affecting farming

Physical factors affecting farming


Climate: Temperature a minimum temperature of 6°C is needed for crops to grow. The growing season is the number of months the temperature is over 6°C. Different crops need a different growing season, e.g. wheat needs 90 days. Rainfall – all crops and animals need water.


Relief: Temperatures decrease by 1>°C every 160 metres vertical height.
Uplands are more exposed to wind and rain. Steep slopes also cause thin soils and limit the use of machinery. Lowland areas are more easily farmed.


Soil: Crops grow best on deep, fertile, free-draining soils, e.g. the brown earths found in lowland Britain. Less fertile soils prone to water logging are best used for pastoral farming.


Aspect: The direction a slope faces. South-facing slopes are best for growing crops.


Vegetation:Vegetation provides the soil with humus,so the more vegetation an area has,the more fertile soil will be.