Lab 1 Soils & Soil-less Media

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Lab 1 Soils Soil-less Media

• TODAY
• Background Information
• Soil Survey (handout 10 points)

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What Is Soil?How Is Soil Formed?

• Definition
• A natural, 3-dimensional body at the
• earths surface. It is capable of supporting
  
• plants and has properties resulting from the
• integrated effect of climate and living
  matter acting on earthy__________________________,
  as conditioned by _______________________over
  periods of time.
• 5 soil forming factors (Hans Jenny, 1941)
• - Climate - Time
• - Parent Material - Organisms
• - Topography/Relief (lay of the land)

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Whats So Important About Soil?

• Medium for growth - anchorage for roots
• Supplies conditions required for growth
• ______________________
• Stored in pore spaces
• Nutrients/minerals
• Bound to soil particles,
• from decomposition of
• soil minerals
• _____________________ for
• respiration
• Stored in pore spaces
• Soil Ecosystem

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• Too many people have lost sight of the fact that
  productive soil is essential to the production of
  food.
• Take care of the land and the land will take
  care of you.
• Hugh Hammond Bennett

Hugh Hammond Bennett, the father of soil
conservation He was the head of the Soil Erosion
Service when it was formed in 1933 in response to
the Dust Bowl. Bennett was one of the first
people to identify poor farming practices as the
cause of the dust storms, and to formulate a plan
for soil conservation.
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Dust buried farms and equipment, killed
livestock, and caused human death and misery
during the height of the Dust Bowl years. In
"Monthly Weather Review," June 1936, p.196.
(NOAA Photo Library)
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"Manhandled Land - fertile soil goes off by
carload lots." A common site during the Dust
Bowl. The erosion in this picture was more an
effect of poor farming practice than drought,
though. In "To Hold This Soil", Russell Lord,
1938. Miscellaneous Publication No. 321, U.S.
Department of Agriculture. (NOAA Photo Library)
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What Makes An Ideal Garden Soil?

• It should be
• ____________________- root growth and nutrient
  extraction
• ____________________ - a perfect balance of
  texture (often a loam)
• Friable Easy to work, crumbly
• High in organic matter - 3-5 OM
• Well drained/aerated - balance of soil solution
  and oxygen
• Fertile - optimum ________________ and pH levels
  (6.2-6.8)

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What is Soil Texture?
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Why Does Soil Texture Matter?
HOW?
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How to Determine Soil Texture

• Field Tests
• _________________ tests - various methods by
  which general soil texture classes can be gauged
• _________________ separates - determine
  proportion of sand, silt, and clay by allowing
  size separates to settle differentially in a
  water solution
• Soil References
• Soil textural triangle
• Soil surveys

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Soil Textural Triangle
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Soil Surveys

• Federal, Regional, State,
• Local Partnership
• Investigate, inventory,
• document, classify, interpret soils
• Disseminate, publish, promote the use of
  information about soils in the US
• Information for farmers, homeowners, etc.
• Soil properties (for building homes structures,
  growing trees, farming), classification, glossary
  reference information,

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Using a Soil Survey General Soil Map
Use it for getting a broad idea of soil
conditions in the county

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Using a Soil Survey Index to Map Sheets

• Find the box on the index sheet that has the
  location youre interested in
• Use that number to locate the folded map sheet in
  the back of the survey

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Changing GearsSoil-less Media

• Definition
• Medium used for growing plants in containers and
  that does not contain ____________
• Characteristics
• Uniform size
• Pest-free
• Well drained/good aeration
• Retains moisture
• Low soluble salts

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Soil-less Media

• Major Components
• Peat Moss
• Perlite
• Vermiculite
• Other Components
• Sand
• Bark
• Lime
• Wetting agents - hydrophilic polymer
• Fertilizer

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Soil-less Media Characteristics  
                 
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Digging Peat in Scotland
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Perlite
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Vermiculite
Mining Vermiculite in South Africa
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Soil-less Media Typical Commercial Mix

• Typical Commercial Mix
• 1/3 coarse peat moss
• 1/3 perlite
• 1/3 vermiculite
• 3 lbs complete fertilizer (5-10-5)
• 7 lbs dolomitic limestone
• Wetting agent

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Soil-less MediaAn Organic Alternative

• An Organic Alternative
• 1/3 Peat Moss
• 1/3 Perlite
• 1/3 Vermiculite
• 5 lbs composted manure
• 1 lb bone meal
• 1 lb green sand
• 7 lbs dolomitic limestone

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Soil-less MediaMix Without Peat Moss

• Replace peat moss 11, but reduce limestone
• Coir or coconut husks in potting mixes
• Composted, fine grade wood shavings
• Or Try 1 part composted
• green waste 1 part coir