SOIL PROPERTIES

Essential Standard 5.00- Explain

the role of nutrients and fertilizers.
Objective 5.01

■ Discuss Horticulture soils

Soils and growing media
■ Soils and growing media are made up of two
types of materials
– Organic matter
– Inorganic compounds
 Growing Media
■ When growing plants in a greenhouse, dirt from the
ground cannot be used because it may contain:
■ Insects
■ Diseases
■ Weeds
■ Greenhouse plant growers will mix different soil-less
materials together to make a soil suitable for growing
plants inside of a greenhouse in containers.
Organic Soil-less Media Components
■ Media is
– any matter, excluding organic soil, used for
the production of horticultural plants.
– Soil-less media does not contain natural soil.
The soil is replaced by other materials
 Organic Matter (OM)
■ Dead plant or animal tissue
■ contains carbon
■ usually has diseases or insects
Types of Organic Soil-less Media
Peat Moss
■ Organic and has a slightly acidic pH
■ Partially decomposed material mined from the
swamps
■ Has good moisture holding properties
Types of Organic Soil-less Media
Compost
• Decayed organic matter
• Compost is used for soil conditioning and fertilizer.
Types of Organic Soil-less Media
Sphagnum Moss
• Sphagnum is organic and is very acidic
• Dehydrated remains of acid bog plants
• Holds moisture
• Commonly used line wire hanging baskets
Types of Organic Soil-less Media
Bark
• Organic and slightly
acid pH
• Larger matter added
to some horticulture
media to promote
drainage
• Adding bark to a
soilless mix usually
makes the mix
heavier
• Widely used in tree
and shrub production
Additional Organic Materials
Used in Soil-less Media Mixes
■ Sawdust and Wood Shavings
– Have a high carbon to nitrogen ration
– Make nitrogen unavailable for plant use
■ Organic materials must be well rotted or decomposed to
avoid problems with nitrogen tie-up.
Inorganic compounds
■ Do not contain carbon
■ usually sterile
Types of Inorganic Soil-less Media
Vermiculite
• A light-weight mica mineral matter commonly used
to start seed and cuttings.
• Inorganic and has a slightly alkaline pH
• Holds moisture
Types of Inorganic Soil-less Media
Perlite
 A natural volcanic material
 Slightly alkaline pH
 Helps with soil aeration and drainage
Advantages of horticultural soils
1. Sterile.
2. pH is neutral.
3. Disease and weed free.
4. It is good for starting disease sensitive seeds
• Tomato
5. It is easy to control the nutrient content
6. Improves crop uniformity.
7. It is easy to create a horticulture soil for
particular plant needs.
Disadvantages
1. Expensive
2. It is light weight
SOIL PROFILES
AND SAMPLING
Objective 5.02

■ Discuss the soil profile and soil sampling for

surface and subsurface layers
 Soil Profile
■ Soil layers are
called horizons
■ All soil profiles do
not have the same
number of horizons
■ Most typical soils in
NC will have a
minimum of the A,
B, and C or R
horizons.
 Soil Profile
O Horizon A Horizon
• Rich Soil found • The topsoil and
where a plant cover most fertile in the
has been in place for absence of an O
an extended time Horizon
• Is rich in Organic • Home to
Matter. earthworms and soil
• Dark in Color organisms
• Most fertile layer • Brown in color
in the soil
B Horizon
■ Subsoil
■ Clayey soil with high mineral
content
■ Brown to Reddish in Color
C Horizon
■ Parent Material
■ Mostly Clumps of un-
weathered rocks
R Horizon
■ Bedrock
■ Very few roots can penetrate
 Soil Structure
■ How particles cluster together
– single grain
– granular (best for most plants)
– blocky
– platy
– 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
■ Granular soil structure is the best.
– Plants have good root development
– Water movement is at an appropriate rate
 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
 Silt
■ Medium sized particles
■ Good moisture and nutrient holding capacity
Loamy texture
■ About equal parts of sand, clay and silt
■ Ideal texture for most non-container outside plants
 Sandy texture
■ Large particles
■ Low moisture-holding
capacity
■ Most common in eastern
NC
 Soil pH
■ Measurement of acidity or alkalinity
from 0 to 14
– Acid-less than 0-6.9
– Alkaline-more than 8-14
– Neutral - 7
■ Most organic matter is acid
■ Most artificial media is neutral
■ Ideal pH for most gardens is 5.5 to
7.0
■ Lime will raise the pH value in soils
■ Calcium or sulfur will lower the pH
Value
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
 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
 Soil Sampling
■ Soil sampling and testing is essential for an
accurate fertilizer recommendation for growing
plants.
 Soil Sampling Procedures
1. Create a visual grid of the area to be
planted.
• For gardens and landscapes, take 5-10 sub-
samples
• Sample before the growing season.
2. Use a stainless steel soil-sampling probe.
3. Take the surface sample to tillage depth
1. about 4inches for lawns
2. 6-8 inches for crops
4. Mix the soil samples together.
 Soil Sampling Procedures
5. Remove any grass, rocks or other material besides soil.
6. Avoid unusual spots
• Problem areas need to be sent in a separate box.
7. Place soil samples in a box
• Obtain from the County Extension Office along with
Soil Sample Information sheet
8. Send the box and information to:
• Agronomic Division Soil Test Lab in Raleigh for a free
soil test.
FFA Land Judging CDE