Soils-weathered rock Order that particles will settle in water Sand- heaviest settles first Silt- settles second Clay- lightest settles third

Soils A horizon / top soil-(dark) –contains the most organic material B horizon / sub soil-(brown) –area where nutrients leach to, from the A horizon C horizon-(white gray-tan) –weathered bedrock Bedrock-parent material

Organic Material Once living or from a living thing (manure). Gives the soil it’s dark color Located in the A horizon Aids in moisture retention

Leaching Water and minerals leach through the top soil into the lower layers of soil horizons B and C. This is the reason that farmers use fertilizers and manure.

Organisms Organisms are very important for plant life Organisms break down material for plants to use Organisms also create holes and burrows for air and water to get into the soil. Which further mechanically and chemically weathers the soil

Soil Quality Good soil Good soil has 3% to 5% of organic matter Sandy soil Sandy soil contains 1% of organic matter Silt and clay Silt and clay contain up to 5% organic matter

Health of Soil The way to determine the health of soil and it’s ability to produce is by the amount of organic matter in the soil

Soil particles Small soil particles Small soil particles hold more organic matter because they stick to each other. Which means that the organic material gets held between the particles Large soil particles Large soil particles don’t pack as easy and don’t hold as much organic matter Ex: sugar vs flour

Nitrogen N=Nitrogen composes 78% of the earths atmosphere Largest nutrient that makes up plants Gives plants their rich green color (chlorophyll) Excessive nitrogen may delay crop maturity because it produces excessive growth of stems and leaves at the expense of the fruit ripening

Phosphorous P=Phosphorous Works for the plant reproduction cycle Found in high amounts in seeds, fruits, and roots Adds vigor to plants to help make them healthy and energetic Encourages root development

Potassium K=Potassium Soils that are high in clay content are high in potassium Encourages smooth action of nitrogen and phosphorous Adds vigor to plants Strengthens stems Guards against disease Involved in production of amino acids (builds proteins)

pH scale Acid-Base scale Soils with ph higher than 7.0 or lower than 6.0 will slow nutrient uptake for most plants To bring up the pH in the soil farmers use lime to neutralize the acids. To bring ph down in soil farmers spread turkey, chicken, or goose manure. (poultry manure is high in acid)