1. Concept Map!

2. Warm Up Define medium

3. Properties of Growing Media Introduction

4. Getting to Know Soil

5. Essential Question What are important characteristics of growing media ?

6. What do most plants need to grow? Water Light Soil – But soil is only 1 type of media that plants can be grown in !

7. Soil Definition: The outer part of the Earth’s crust

8. Soilless Medium Definition: Contains no topsoil, used to grow plants.

9. Aeroponics

10. Hydroponics Growing plants in a nutrient solution Plants are supported by gravel, spongey material, or nothing at all! Nutrient solution can be added to material, or directly onto plant’s roots.

11. Hydroponics System

12. What’s required? All growing medium must achieve certain functions. – Growing Medium: Material in which the roots of plants grow

13. Growing Medium Must: Provide nutrients Provide a place for plants to root, and anchor themselves Aeration (presence of oxygen) – Provided by pore spaces: air holes between particles Hold moisture

14. Which Medium ? Below are photographs of possible mediums. Explain why each would work, or not work, as a growing medium for plants. 3 sentences per photograph please! You will only add water to your plant.

15. Nutrients Plants need nutrients to grow! – Sometimes found in growing medium – Plants grown in soilless medium need help! = Nutrient supplements! Be careful nutrients do not leach ! – Leaching: Nutrients run out of the medium, causing the grower to continually add the nutrients.

16. Important! Soil must be able to drain excess water! Plant roots need oxygen to function ! – Extra water would cause plants to suffocate and possibly rot

17. Important! In floriculture production – Mix must be uniform – Helps develop schedules to plant, water, and fertilize

18. Activities Review Quiz 1

19. Properties of Growing Media Growing Media Components

20. Warm Up What do you recognize in this media?

21. Essential Question What are the components of soil?

22. Vocabulary Review Soil: outer portion of Earth’s crust that supports plant growth Soils vary based on: – Location – Parent material – Mineral matter Characterized by mineral matter

23. Mineral Matter INORAGNIC! 3 types – Sand – Silt – Clay

24. Types of Mineral Matter Sand: largest! – Good for drainage! Too much sand will not hold enough moisture for the plant to grow. Silt: medium! – Produced by water breaking down minerals. Found near rivers Clay: smallest – Holds water well. Forms hard clumps when dried. Sand, Silt, Clay = 45% of soil composition Equal parts of sand, silt, and clay is called a loam

25. Organic Matter What is it? – living or dead plants and animals. Makes up 5% of soil Required for plants to grow! High Nutrient content!

26. What’s Left? 45% Inorganic Matter 5% Organic Matter 50% - Located in the Pore Spaces – 25% Water – 25% Air

27. Growing Experiment Growing Plants in a Variety of Soil Conditions – Step 1. Answer questions 1-5 in your packet on page one

28. Soilless Mediums Soil is not always best – Not always available – Not always “clean” Insects, disease – Heavy to move! What is a soilless mixture/medium? – Combination of organic and inorganic substances that will provide sufficient support for plant growth.

29. Types of Soilless Mixtures Peat Moss – Originates in bogs – Great ability to hold moisture – Lighter in weight than soil – BUT Is acidic in pH. Might effect plant growth!

30. Types of Soilless Mixtures Perlite – White in color – Comes from heat treated lava rock – Very lightweight – Used to aerate the soil

31. Soilless Mixtures Vermiculite – High ability to hold moisture – Lightweight – Normally used for germinating seeds – Comes from the mineral Mica

32. What else can we add? Soil Amendments : an item added to a planting mix for the purpose of increasing the quality and growth of plants. Examples: bark or sand

33. Soilless Pro’s and Con’s PRO’s Mix is uniform Mix is sterile – Sterilization eliminates disease Can be manipulated to improve mixture Can be mixed by the grower Easier to move – Lightweight CON’S Often need to add fertilizer’s Dry pots can be blown over Difficult to transplant from soil to soilless

34. Stuff Happens with Bill Nye

35. Activities Review Quiz 2 Ribbon Testing Soil Lab

36. Properties of Growing Media Providing Nutrients in Floriculture

37. Warm Up What could be wrong with these plants?

38. Essential Question What are the nutrients needed for plants for growth?

39. Macronutrients Needed in large amounts – Nitrogen (N) – Phosphorus (P) – Potassium (K) – Calcium (Ca) – Magnesium (Mg) – Sulfur (S)

40. Macronutrients : Purpose Green leafy growth – Nitrogen Increase flower and fruit production – Phosphorus Disease Resistance – Potassium

41. Micronutrients Nutrients that are needed in smaller amounts by the plants but are still essential to plant growth – Boron (B) – Copper (Cu) – Chlorine (Cl) – Iron (Fe) – Manganese (Mn) – Molybdenum (Mo) – Zinc (Zn)

42. Soil Test Performed to determine what nutrients are present What can it show? – What is present? – What is deficient? Lacking or not present Affects plant growth!

43. Deficiencies Plant growth negatively affected Examples: – Nitrogen deficiency Plants leaves will start to yellow (called chlorosis) – Phosphorus deficiency Stems or leaves turn purple

44. pH Effects nutrient availability to plants Soil pH: measures the amount of acidity or alkalinity in the soil. – pH based on amount of hydrogen ions in the soil

45. pH Ranges from 1 to 14 Most plants grow between 5.6 and 7 KNOW THIS SCALE -> Determines what soil amendments to add RISE pH = add limestone LOWER pH= add sulfur

46. Fertilizer Any material that is provided to plants to supply the nutrients needed for plant growth. – Vary in components, application methods, and function

47. Fertilizers: What to know! Analysis – Located directly on the bag – states the percentage of primary nutrients (nitrogen,phosphate, and potash) present in the fertilizer Complete Fertilizer: fertilizer contains all three primary nutrients Incomplete Fertilizer: lacking any of the three primary nutrients

48. Fertilizers

49. Fertilizer: Application Methods High in nitrogen: household plants High in phosphorus: flowering plants Application methods – Liquid : applied directly to foliage – Granular: most are granular. Not water soluble. Considered slow release fertilizer Water plants after powder-type granular application

50. Fertilizer Applicators

51. Ecosphere Part 2 : Nitrogen Cycle

52. Activities Video Questions Review Quiz 3

53. Properties of Growing Media Nature of Soil

54. Warm Up What do you see in this photograph? Do you notice anything about the soil? How is the soil organized? HINT: Soil Formation Sheet!

55. Essential Question How does soil help in supporting life? Get out your Soil-Net Packet to use while you take notes.

56. Soil Resources Soil is found in layers on Earth’s Surface Resources Soil Provide Include: – Oxygen – Temperature – Water – Carbon – Nutrients

57. Resources Explained A. Oxygen – needed for adequate root growth. B. Temperature – soil absorbs heat from the sun. It also loses heat to the atmosphere. This helps plant have the most comfortable temperature for GROWTH!

58. Resources Continued … C. Water – Used for growth of plants. D. Carbon – Comes from organic matter in the soil. E. Nutrients – provided as minerals. They are broken down as nitrogen. Recycled through decaying material in the soil

59. Review Soil Components Inorganic Matter – 45% Sand, Silt, and Clay Organic Matter – 5% Dead or Living plants and animals Pore Spaces – 50% Air and water located between particles

60. Water Movement in Soil Water infiltrates the soil – Water soaks into the soil Downward movement of water=percolation

61. Types of Water Gravitational Water: water that drains through the pore spaces in the soil as a result of gravity. – Moves quickly through soil with large pore spaces. As water moves it can pick up chemicals and other pollutants ! This is known as leaching

62. Types of Water Continued… Capillary Water: water that is held between the particles of soil against the forces of gravity. – This water can move upwards or sideways by capillary action. Occurs more in clay type soils.

63. Types of Water Continued… Hygroscopic Water: water that forms a thin film around individual soil particles. – This water is unavailable to plants

64. Activity Represent with action the different types of water found in soil.

65. Biological Nature of Soil Types of life found in soil: – Earthworms, Insects, Bacteria, Fungi and MORE! Bacteria and Fungi: – VERY IMPORTANT! – Break down organic material releasing nutrients !

66. Biological Nature of Soil Continued… Earthworms, ants, crawfish, moles, and other organisms improve the soil tilth – Tilth: Ease at which soil can be worked. How hard or soft is the soil? – Create openings as they tunnel enhances drainage and air exchange! Remember AEARTION?

67. Check it out!

68. Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad

69. Video Review Questions Who was part of the “Rot Squad”? Where did the students visit? What “things” were living in the environment? Why were these “things” living there? Why are decomposers important to soil and plant life?

70. Properties of Growing Media Nature of Soil: How Plants Use Soil

71. Warm Up How has the soil failed in this photo? Why do you think this happened?

72. Essential Question How do plants use soil ?

73. Plants Use Soil 4 Main Ways Plant Use Soil – Anchorage – Water – Oxygen – Nutrients

74. Anchorage Soil acts to provide a firm support as roots grow throughout the soil.

75. Water Soil provides nearly all of the water used by plants. Water is absorbed through the plants’ roots.

76. Oxygen Nearly all living things need oxygen ! Plants – RELEASE oxygen during photosynthesis – CONSUME oxygen during respiration

77. Oxygen Soil Aeration: The exchange of soil and atmospheric air in order to maintain adequate oxygen for plant roots.

78. Nutrients 13/16 nutrients for plants come from the soil! Root hairs absorb nutrients in soil water

79. Nutrients Not all plants require nutrients from the soil! Fungi use nutrients by decomposing dead things! Let’s watch a video to explore fungi and how they retrieve nutrients, reproduce, and use the world around them!

80. Fungi Video

81. How is soil used? Personal Use – House plants – Herb Garden – Vegetable Garden Commercial use – Horticulture Industry !

82. Uses of Soil in Horticulture Cropland- this is land on which soil is worked and crops are planted, cared for, and harvested. – Annuals including: corn, soybeans, cotton, vegetables

83. Uses of Soil in Horticulture Grazing land: this is land used for grazing cattle and sheep. It is often planted to perennial forage.

84. Uses of Soil in Horticulture Forest: this is land used for growing trees which are later harvested – Products include: paper, lumber

85. Uses of Soil in Horticulture Water Structures: ponds and other reservoirs are constructed out of soil.

86. Properties of Growing Media Nature of Soil: Non Horticultural Uses of Soil

87. Warm Up How do you use soil at home? Are these horticultural uses? – Why or Why not?

88. Essential Question What are some non-horticultural uses of soil?

89. Recreation

90. Foundations

91. Waste Disposal Treats soil sanitary waste Uses microorganisms

92. Building Materials

93. Weathering and Erosion Video. Complete Packet

94. Test Review Define : Soil, Soilless Medium, Hydroponics, Growing Medium, Organic matter, Inorganic Matter, pH, Micronutrients, Macronutrients, Soil Test What are the 3 types of water found in the soil? How do they move through the soil? What are the 3 soil particle types? What are their characteristics? What are the components of soil? What percentages are they found in? What are biological components and what do they do for the soil? What are the macronutrients found in fertilizer (proper terms)? What does each provide for plant growth?