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Growing Plants Hydroponically vs. In Soil:

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Presentation on theme: "Growing Plants Hydroponically vs. In Soil:"— Presentation transcript:

1 Growing Plants Hydroponically vs. In Soil:
The Soil Profile In order for us to determine which is better, growing plants hydroponically or in soil we must learn about the components of each. Today we will dive into what components make up a soil profile so that we can determine what soil we have here in Mecklenburg County? Why do we need to know what is in the soil? To understand what type of soil it is and be able to figure out what crop can grow in it. To know if the soil is suitable for growing. How do we determine what is in the soil profile? Test the soil by taking samples and observing what is in it Send test results to the agronomic lab Make sure to use your worksheet as an aid in today’s class

2 Why do we need to know what is in the soil?
Questions Why do we need to know what is in the soil? How do we determine what is in the soil?

3 Particle Sizes

4 Soil Structure Soil structure is how the soil particles fit together
Granular soil structure is the best. Plants have good root development. Water movement is at an appropriate rate – doesn’t stay to wet or too dry. Silty soils have a granular soil structure. Massive Soil Structure is the physical arrangement of soil particles Granular is the most beneficial for plant growth; formed by the breaking apart of large aggregates and is found in the A horizon (write on board) Platy: restricts root and water penetration; E horizon Blocky: crated by the wetting, drying, freezing and thawing cycle in the B horizon; it can be subangular or angular Prismatic or Columnar: blocky peds are longer than they are wide; caused by vertical cracking and found in the B horizon Which do you think would hold water better? Granular Which would give roots room to grow? Granular Sandy soils typically have a loose soil structure. 4

5 Clayey soils have a blocky or platy structure

6 Soil Texture Sand has the largest particles. Sandy soils have low moisture and nutrient holding capacity. Silt has medium sized particles. Silt has a good moisture and nutrient holding capacity. Clay has the smallest sized particles. Clayey soils have high water and nutrient holding capacity. Loam has almost equal parts of sand, silt and clay. This is the ideal texture for most non container outside plants. Once you have obtained what percentage the soil has of each texture you can determine what it is exaclty. Example: 20% Clay, 10% Sand and 70% Silt? Silt Loam Loam is the most preferred; they have high organic matter

7 Soil texture

8 Soil Texture Triangle Examples
20% Clay, 10% Sand and 70% Silt? 30% Clay, 60% Sand, and 10% Silt? 55% Clay, 45% Sand?

9 Dirt Shake

10 Horizon O is the organic matter
Horizon A is the topsoil Horizon B less topsoil and less organic matter Horizon C Parent material Bedrock below Horizon C Now we will use what we have learned to put together a complete soil profile. In your plastic cup but a layer of vanilla pudding ¼ the way up the cup. This represents the C Horizon It is composed of unconsolidate material; weathered parent material; and it is below the zone of most biological acitivity Next put in crushed graham crackers to fill ¾ of the cup. This respresents the B Horizon It is composed of weathered material; illuvial (meaning into); zone of maximum accumulation of clay, Fe oxides, humus, carbonate Third put in chocolate pudding ¼ the way. This represents the A Horizon. It consists of highly decomposed organic matter Now put about 1/5 oreos into the cup. This represents the O Horizon. It consists of the organic material; accumulated plant residue And you can top it off with some grass coconut. Where are the most available nutrients found? Least? Which layer will change the most in the shortest period of time? What does the soil profile tell us about the soil? Was everyone able to fill out their worksheet? If not what are we missing?

11 Soil Profile Horizon O – Organic matter. This layer us usually less than an inch thick. Litter decomposes into nutrients that enrich the soil. In area where the temperature is lower, the composition of organic matter is slower. Horizon A – top layer of soil. Nutrients, bacteria, fungi, and small animals are abundant. Plant thrive because of the nutrients in it. Horizon B –Light in color because it has less top soil and organic matter Horizon C – Called the parent material because it is the weathered roc and partly weathered soil from which the soil layers above are formed. Bedrock – solid rock. Parent material is formed from the bedrock after a long weathering process. Happens either physical or chemical. Physical – wind or water erosion, glacial activity, freezing and thawing and biotic activity (plant roots, animals, micro-organisms) Chemical – leaching, oxidation, carbonation, and hydration

12 Identifying Texture by Feel
Feel test – Rub some moist soil between your fingers. • Sand feels gritty. • Silt feels smooth. • Clays feel sticky. Ball squeeze test – Squeeze a moistened ball of soil in your hand. • Coarse textures (sand or sandy loam) soils break with slight pressure. • Sandy loams and silt loams stay together but change shape easily. • Fine textured (clayey or clayey loam) soils resist breaking. Ribbon test – Squeeze a moistened ball of soil out between your thumb and fingers. • Sandy soils won’t ribbon. • Loam, silt, silty clay loam or clay loam soil ribbons less than 1 inch. • Sandy clay loam, silty clay loam or clay loam ribbons 1 to 2 inches. • Sandy clay, silty clay, or clay soil ribbons more than 2 inches. A soil with as little as 20 percent clay may behave as a heavy clayey soil. A soil needs 45 percent to over 60 percent sand to behave as a sandy soil. Here are instructions to do a feel test that I do not have time for.

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14 Soil Profile Review To review:
What are the 3 soil textures? Which has the largest particle size? Which has the most plant available water holding capacity? If you were given 20% clay, 80% silt and 50% sand what type of soil would you have? If a soil color is on the bottom of a pgage on a munell color chart is it darker or lighter? To complete a soil profile what are all the components?

15 pH Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of soils.
Soil pH ranges from (low pH) is considered an acid soil, 7 indicates a neutral soil and 8-14 (high pH) is considered an alkaline soil. Lime will raise the pH value in soils (make the soil less acidic). Calcium or sulfur will lower the pH value in soils (make the soil more acidic). The ideal pH value for vegetable garden soils are 5.5 to 7.0.

16 Permeability is the rate at which water moves through the soil.
Water holding capacity is the ability of a soil to hold water for plant use. Porosity is the amount of air space between soil particles. 50% of soil should be pore space which includes 25% water space and 25% air space. 50% of soil should be soil particles which include 45% mineral matter and 5% organic matter.

17 What is Soil Made up of? Explain that 50% of the soil is solids and the other is pore space. (Draw on board) The solids consists of minerals and organic material. Pore space consists of air and water. Minerals: include stones, gravel and coarse sands Organic Materials: includes living organisms, decayed remains of plants and animals It is high in nutrients which is used for plant growth Air: amount of free space occupied in the soil Water: amount of water occupied in the soil

18 Soil Sampling Soil sampling and testing is essential for an accurate fertilizer recommendation for growing plants. 2. Soil sampling procedures. a. Create a visual grid of the area to be planted. For gardens and landscapes, take 5-10 subsamples from the site to be evaluated. Sample before the growing season. b. Use a stainless steel soil-sampling probe. c. Take the surface sample to tillage depth or about 3-4 inches for lawns and 6-8 inches for crops.

19 Soil sampling cont. d. Mix the soil samples together. e. Remove any grass, rocks or other material besides soil. f. Avoid unusual spots in the lawn or field. Those areas need to be sent in a separate box. g. Place soil samples in a box, which you can 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

20 Soil Color-Munsell Color Chart
Soil Color is another way to help identify what soil type you have in your soil profile. A Munsell color chart helps to determine the exact color of your soil Hue (each page) spectral color Value: (up and down) darkness or lightness Chroma: (across) color intensity/gray to vivid Which color do you think you would find in the mountains? Foothills? Coastal Plains?

21 Group Rotation You will have 10 minutes at each one of the stations.
Follow the directions on the sheet or wait for me to come around and give you directions. Make sure to complete any work that is in your workbook on pages 6-7.


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