[Objective] Soil particle size composition and soil nutrients of the different forest patterns at arable layer in the Ili River valley were studied to provide scientific basis of cultivation and sustainable management of forest.[Methods] This study analyzed the relationships between soil particle size distribution and soil physicochemical characteristics of different afforestation patterns in the Ili River valley based on fieldwork and laboratory experiments.[Results] The sampled soils of 7 forest patterns were mainly composed of fine silt and coarse silt, and their soil textures were dominated by fine silt-coarse silt-clay, fine silt-coarse silt-very fine sand, and coarse silt-fine silt-very fine sand. Among them, soil nutrients of the fine silt-coarse silt-clay soil were better, and the soil nutrients of the soil with sand were low. Soil organic matter and available nitrogen were closely related to the contents of clay and fine silt, especially to fine silt. Available phosphorus had positive correlations with sand, clay and fine silt content. Available potassium was closely related to the content of clay and fine silt, and the content of available potassium increased with the increase of clay and fine silt content. Available potassium was negatively correlated with sand content; it decreased with the increase of sand content.[Conclusion] The soil nutrient status and the nutrients contents of the 7 forest patterns were different. The soil should be managed according to their nutrient status. The content of silt in soils of different forest patterns had the greatest proportion. According to the correlation analysis between the nutrient content and the particle size, soil fine particle proportion is closely related to soil nutrients.