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. 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.

5. 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

6. Organic Matter (OM) Dead plant or animal tissue contains carbon
usually has diseases or insects

7. 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

8. Types of Organic Soil-less Media
Compost
Decayed organic matter
Compost is used for soil conditioning and fertilizer.

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.

12. Inorganic compounds
Do not contain carbon
usually sterile

13. 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

14. Types of Inorganic Soil-less Media
Perlite
A natural volcanic material
Slightly alkaline pH
Helps with soil aeration and drainage

15. 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.

16. Disadvantages
Expensive
It is light weight

17. Soil Profiles and Sampling

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

19. 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.

20. Soil Profile O Horizon A Horizon
Rich Soil found where a plant cover has been in place for an extended time
Is rich in Organic Matter.
Dark in Color
Most fertile layer in the soil
The topsoil and most fertile in the absence of an O Horizon
Home to earthworms and soil organisms
Brown in color

21. 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

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

23. 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

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

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

26. Silt Medium sized particles
Good moisture and nutrient holding capacity

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

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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

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

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. FFA Land Judging CDE