1. Soil Properties
Essential Standard Explain the role of nutrients and fertilizers.

2. Objective 5.01
Discuss Horticulture soils

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

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

5. 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

6. Composting

7. 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

8. Inorganic compounds
Do not contain carbon
usually sterile

9. 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 water-holding capacity

10. Vermiculite

11. Perlite

12. Advantages of horticultural soils
Sterile.
pH is neutral.
Disease and weed free.
It is good for starting disease sensitive seeds
Tomato
It is easy to control the nutrient content
Improves crop uniformity.
It is easy to create a horticulture soil for particular plant needs.

13. Disadvantages
Expensive
It is light weight

14. Carbon : Nitrogen Materials with a high carbon to nitrogen ratio
Sawdust
Wood shavings
Makes nitrogen unavailable for plant use

15. Soil Profiles and Sampling

16. Objective 5.02
Discuss the soil profile and soil sampling for surface and subsurface layers

17. What is the physical make up of soil?

18. 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

19. Soil Profile
A Horizon
B Horizon
C Horizon

20. Soil Profile

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

22. Soil Structure
Single Grain

23. Soil Structure
Granular

24. Soil Structure
Blocky

25. Soil Structure
Platy

26. Soil Structure
Massive

27. 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

28. Soil Texture
Size of particles
Types of textures
clayey
loamy
sandy

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

30. Loamy texture About equal parts of sand, clay and silt
Ideal texture for most non-container outside plants

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

32. Soil pH Measurement of acidity or alkalinity from 0 to 14
Acid-less than 0-6.9
Alkaline-more than 8-14
Most organic matter is acid
Most artificial media is neutral
Ideal pH for most gardens is 5.5 to 7.0

33. Physical Properties of Soils
Permeability
rate at which water moves through the soil
Water holding capacity
ability of a soil to hold water for plant use
Porosity
amount of air space between soil particles

34. Physical Properties of Soils
50% of soil should be pore space
25% water space
25% air space.
50% of soil should be soil particles
45% mineral matter
5% organic matter

35. Soil Makeup
Water

36. Soil Sampling
Soil sampling and testing is essential for an accurate fertilizer recommendation for growing plants.

37. Soil Sampling Procedures
Create a visual grid of the area to be planted.
For gardens and landscapes, take 5-10 sub-samples
Sample before the growing season.
Use a stainless steel soil-sampling probe.
Take the surface sample to tillage depth
about 4inches for lawns
6-8 inches for crops
Mix the soil samples together.

38. Soil Sampling Procedures
Remove any grass, rocks or other material besides soil.
Avoid unusual spots
Problem areas need to be sent in a separate box.
Place soil samples in a box
Obtain from the County Extension Office along with Soil Sample Information sheet
Send the box and information to:
Agronomic Division Soil Test Lab in Raleigh for a free soil test.

39. FFA Land Judging CDE