Media and Soils Media and Soils

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Learning TargetsLearning Targets

I can identify various types of growing I can identify various types of growing media?media?

I can explain the PH Scale?I can explain the PH Scale? I can identify 3 sections of the Soil I can identify 3 sections of the Soil

Triangle?Triangle?

Growing Medium Growing Medium

Material in which the Material in which the roots plants grow.roots plants grow.

Roles of MediaRoles of Media

Provides nutrients Provides nutrients and a anchor for and a anchor for plant.plant.

NutrientsNutrients

Substance that Substance that roots absorb from roots absorb from the medium and the medium and water.water.

AnchorAnchor

Roots hold plant in Roots hold plant in place.place.

Pore SpacePore Space

Air holes between Air holes between the growing the growing medium particles medium particles which allows which allows oxygen to reach oxygen to reach the roots of plants.the roots of plants.

Soil AmendmentSoil Amendment

Anything added to Anything added to the soil to improve the soil to improve plant growth.plant growth.

VermiculiteVermiculite PerlitePerlite

SoilSoil

Top few inches of Top few inches of earths surface that earths surface that provide soil provide soil growth.growth.

Soilless MediumSoilless Medium

Contains no soil.Contains no soil. Made from:Made from: VermiculiteVermiculite PerlitePerlite Peat MossPeat Moss BarkBark Can be pre-mixedCan be pre-mixed

HydroponicsHydroponics

Nutrients are Nutrients are provided by provided by nutrient solution. nutrient solution.

Nutrient SolutionNutrient Solution

Contains water Contains water with dissolved with dissolved nutrients.nutrients.

Hydroponic AdvantagesHydroponic Advantages

1.1. Nutrients ControlNutrients Control

2.2. Yield is greaterYield is greater

3.3. Roots do not Roots do not spreadspread

4.4. Reduced Weed, Reduced Weed, Insect, Disease Insect, Disease

Mineral MaterialsMineral Materials

Come from Come from inorganic sources.inorganic sources.

3 kinds of Mineral 3 kinds of Mineral MaterialsMaterials

Sand #1 Sand #1

Largest material in Largest material in soil.soil.

Good for soil Good for soil drainage.drainage.

Silt #2Silt #2

Smaller than sand.Smaller than sand.

Areas near rivers Areas near rivers are high in silt.are high in silt.

Clay #3Clay #3

Smallest size Smallest size particle in soil.particle in soil.

Holds water well.Holds water well.

Fills gaps between Fills gaps between Sand and SiltSand and Silt

Organic MatterOrganic Matter

Decayed remains Decayed remains from plants and from plants and animals.animals.

Soil TextureSoil Texture

% of Sand, Silt, % of Sand, Silt, Clay present in the Clay present in the soil.soil.

Soil TriangleSoil Triangle

Used to classify Used to classify soil on the basis soil on the basis texture content.texture content.

Most crops prefer Most crops prefer a Loamy soil.a Loamy soil.

Loam SoilLoam Soil

High in Silt lower High in Silt lower in Sand and Clay.in Sand and Clay.

Soil StructureSoil Structure

Physical Physical arrangement of arrangement of soil particles.soil particles.

Soil AerationSoil Aeration

Movement of air in Movement of air in the soil.the soil.

Clay soil least air Clay soil least air movement.movement.

Soil CompactionSoil Compaction

Soil compressed Soil compressed into a dense into a dense mass.mass.

WearWear

Physical Physical deterioration of a deterioration of a plant community.plant community.

Soil ProfileSoil Profile

Vertical section of Vertical section of soil at a location.soil at a location.

Soil Horizon (A)Soil Horizon (A)

Topsoil: 10”Topsoil: 10”

Made of:Made of: HumusHumus RootsRoots OrganismsOrganisms

Soil Horizon (B)Soil Horizon (B)

Subsoil: 30”Subsoil: 30” Made of:Made of: Fine ParticlesFine Particles Leached materialsLeached materials Some RootsSome Roots

Soil Horizon (C)Soil Horizon (C)

Parent Material: Parent Material: 48”48”

Made of:Made of: BedrockBedrock Leached materialsLeached materials

Soil Horizon (R)Soil Horizon (R)

Bedrock:Bedrock: Made of:Made of: Solid RockSolid Rock

Plant NutrientsPlant Nutrients

17 elements are 17 elements are needed for plants needed for plants to grow.to grow.

MacronutrientsMacronutrients

Most important Most important nutrients needed nutrients needed in large amount.in large amount.

MacronutrientsMacronutrients

(N) – Nitrogen(N) – Nitrogen (P) – Phosphorus(P) – Phosphorus (K) – Potassium(K) – Potassium (Ca) – Calcium(Ca) – Calcium (Mg) – Magnesium(Mg) – Magnesium (S) – Sulfur(S) – Sulfur

Primary NutrientsPrimary Nutrients

N-P-KN-P-K Needed in largest Needed in largest

amounts.amounts.

Secondary NutrientsSecondary Nutrients

Ca-Mg-SCa-Mg-S Needed in Needed in

moderate amountsmoderate amounts

MicronutrientsMicronutrients

Needed in smaller Needed in smaller amounts.amounts.

AKA-Trace AKA-Trace ElementsElements

MicronutrientsMicronutrients

(Fe) – Iron(Fe) – Iron (Mn) – Maganese(Mn) – Maganese (Zn) – Zinc(Zn) – Zinc (Cu) – Copper(Cu) – Copper (B) – Boron(B) – Boron (Mo) – Molybdenum(Mo) – Molybdenum (Cl) – Chlorine(Cl) – Chlorine (Ni) - Nickel(Ni) - Nickel

Soil TestingSoil Testing

Determines what Determines what nutrients are nutrients are present in the soil.present in the soil.

NitrogenNitrogen

Key elementKey element Helps plant Helps plant

recover from recover from damage.damage.

Nitrogen Deficient Nitrogen Deficient ExampleExample

Older leaves turn Older leaves turn yellow. (yellow. (ChlorosisChlorosis))

Death can happenDeath can happen

PhosphorusPhosphorus

Helps plant hold Helps plant hold and transfer and transfer energy for energy for metabolism.metabolism.

Phosphorus DeficientPhosphorus Deficient

Reduced growth Reduced growth Dark to reddish Dark to reddish

leaf colorations.leaf colorations.

PotassiumPotassium

Important for plant Important for plant life process.life process.

Potassium DeficientPotassium Deficient

Reduced growthReduced growth Increase diseaseIncrease disease Stress of plantStress of plant

Soil PHSoil PH

Ph is used to Ph is used to measure the measure the amount of amount of Alkalinity or acidity Alkalinity or acidity in soil.in soil.

PH ScalePH Scale

14 Point Scale14 Point Scale

PH ScalePH Scale

7.0 = Neutral7.0 = Neutral

PH ScalePH Scale

Below 7.0 = AcidicBelow 7.0 = Acidic

Above 7.0 = AlkalineAbove 7.0 = Alkaline

Modifying PHModifying PH

Adding Lime will Adding Lime will raise PH.raise PH.

Adding Sulfur will Adding Sulfur will lower PH.lower PH.

Modifying PHModifying PH

Most plants prefer Most plants prefer PH of 5.5-8.0PH of 5.5-8.0

FertilizerFertilizer

Any material used Any material used to provide the to provide the nutrients plants nutrients plants need.need.

FertilizerFertilizer

Can be applied as:Can be applied as: Solid Solid LiquidLiquid GasGas

Elemental FertilizerElemental Fertilizer

Provides only 1 Provides only 1 plant nutrient.plant nutrient.

Complete FertilizerComplete Fertilizer

Contains all 3 Contains all 3 elemental elemental nutrients.nutrients.

NitrogenNitrogen PotassiumPotassium PhosphorusPhosphorus

Active IngredientActive Ingredient

Total % of Total % of nutrients that is nutrients that is being applied to being applied to plants.plants.

Inert IngredientInert Ingredient

The carrier or filler The carrier or filler ingredient that ingredient that allows for the allows for the spreading of the spreading of the fertilizer. fertilizer.

Complete Fertilizer Complete Fertilizer ExampleExample

16% 16% NitrogenNitrogen 4% 4% PhosphatePhosphate 8% 8% PotashPotash

==28% 28% Active Active IngredientIngredient

72% 72% Inert Ingredient Inert Ingredient or carrieror carrier

Application EquipmentApplication Equipment

Sprayers for liquid Sprayers for liquid fertilizer.fertilizer.

Application EquipmentApplication Equipment

Dry fertilizer for Dry fertilizer for Granular Granular Equipment.Equipment.

SpreaderSpreader

Granular FertilizerGranular Fertilizer

Applied with Applied with Rotary, Gravity Rotary, Gravity Flow Spreader.Flow Spreader.

Most common way Most common way of spreading of spreading fertilizer.fertilizer.

FertigationFertigation

Application of Application of fertilizer with the fertilizer with the use of irrigation use of irrigation system.system.

Very fast to use. Very fast to use. Water and fertilize Water and fertilize

at the same time.at the same time.