Soil Properties

23.00-Explain the properties of soils and their relationship to plant growth.

Soils and growing media

Soils and growing media are made up of two types of materials
Organic matter Inorganic compounds

Organic Matter
Dead plant or animal tissue contains carbon usually has diseases or insects

Types of organic matter

Compost bark-particles too large to use in seed germination media mulch-used to cover soil to help hold moisture and prevent weeds straw peat moss

Composting

Types of Organic Matter

Sphagnum Sawdust-high carbon to nitrogen ratio makes nitrogen unavailable for plant use Wood shavings- high carbon to nitrogen ratio makes nitrogen unavailable for plant use

Inorganic compounds
Do not contain carbon usually sterile

Types of inorganic compounds

Soilless media-artificial soil Vermiculite-mica mineral matter used to start seeds and cuttings, helps hold moisture, has neutral pH Perlite-natural volcanic material that helps aeration and waterholding capacity

Vermiculite

Perlite

pH
Measurement of acidity or alkalinity from 0 to 14 Acid-less than 7.0 Alkaline-more than 7.0 Most organic matter is acid Most artificial media is neutral Ideal pH for most ornamental plants and lawn or turf grasses is 5.5 to 7.0

Hydroponics
The process of growing plants without soil

Types of hydroponics
Aggregate culture
using sand or gravel to support plant roots

Water culture, solution culture, or nutriculture

plant roots grow in water containing dissolved nutrients

Types of hydroponics
Aeroponics
plant roots hang in air and are misted regularly with a nutrient solution

Continuous-flow system
nutrient solution flows constantly over plant roots most commonly used for commercial production

Hydroponics at Epcot

Advantages of hydroponics
No soil and problems associated with soil Easy to control nutrient content of plants

Disadvantages of hydroponics
Plant support must be provided with strings, wires or stakes Water quality must be high Diseases spread through water More moisture or humidity in air to cause favorable environment for disease organisms More expensive

What is the physical make up of soil?

Soil Profile
Layers of soil are called horizons Typical profile
A Horizon-topsoil
most fertile most organic matter top or first layer

B Horizon-subsoil C Horizon-bedrock

Soil Profile
A Horizon
B Horizon

C Horizon

Soil Profile

Soil Structure
How particles cluster together
single grain granular (best for most plants) blocky platy massive

Soil Structure

Single Grain

Soil Structure

Granular

Soil Structure

Blocky

Soil Structure

Platy

Soil Structure

Massive

Soil structure
Soil structure is more important to producers who grow plants in natural soils Producers of container grown plants add ingredients to make growing media desirable

Soil Texture
Size of particles Types of textures
clayey loamy sandy

Clayey Texture
Small particles Has a high water-holding capacity most common texture in western NC

Loamy texture
About equal parts of sand, clay and silt Ideal texture for most noncontainer outside plants

Sandy texture
Large particles Low moisture-holding capacity Most common in eastern NC

Soil Makeup

Water
Solid particles Pore Space

FFA Land Judging CDE