Why do some parts of the North German Plain have rich agricultural soils?

The North German Plain, a portion of the Great European Plain, features varying soil quality due to its complex glacial history. While much of the region consists of sandy or gravelly deposits that are less productive, specific areas are highly fertile due to the presence of loess.12

Loess is a wind-deposited, silty material that serves as a highly productive parent material for soil. This fertile soil is notably found along the southern edge of the plain, where it extends toward the Central German Uplands, as well as in the Thuringian Basin and the Magdeburg Plain. Additionally, the till (ground moraine) left behind by retreating ice sheets provides heavy but fertile soil in other parts of the region. Along the North Sea coast, reclaimed marsh and mudflat areas also offer rich soils suitable for intensive agriculture. In contrast, areas dominated by outwash sands remain less fertile and are often forested.3425