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Horticulture I - 5.00 - Soils

Terms in this set (34)

Peat Moss
Is partially decomposed material mined from the swamps; good moisture holding properties
Vermiculite
Is a mica mineral matter commonly used to start seed and cuttings; holds moisture and has a neutral pH.
Perlite
Is a natural volcanic material; helps with soil aeration and water holding capacity.
Organic matter
is dead plant or animal tissue; contains carbon.
Compost
Is decayed organic matter;used for soil conditioning and fertilizer.
Bark
Is larger matter added to some horticulture media to promote drainage; added to a soilless mix usually makes the mix heavier.
Sphagnum moss
Is dehydrated remains of acid bog plants; holds moisture and is very acidic.
Advantages of horticultural soils
1. The soil is sterile.
2. The pH is neutral.
3. The soil is disease and weed free.
4. It is good for starting disease sensitive seeds (tomato).
5. It is easy to control the nutrient content of the soil.
6. It improves crop uniformity.
7. It is easy to create a horticulture soil for particular plant needs.
Disadvantages of horticultural soils
1. It is expensive.
2. It is light weight.
Horizons
soil layers
O Horizon
Is rich in organic matter in various stages of decomposition and is dark in color. Most fertile layer in the soil profile.
A Horizon
Is the topsoil; below O Horizon; brown in color.
B Horizon
Is the subsoil; clayey soil that has a high mineral content; usually brown or reddish due to large amount of clay.
C Horizon
Is parent material; consists mainly of clumps of un-weathered rocks.
R Horizon
Is Bedrock; cannot be dug by hand
Soil structure
how the soil particles fit together
Sandy soils
loose soil texture
Silty soils
granular soil structure
Clayey soils
blocky or platy structure
Granular soils
soil structure best for plants
Soil texture
size of the particles
Sand
largest particles; low moisture and nutrient holding capacity
Silt
medium sized particles; good moisture and nutrient holding capacity
Clay
smallest sized particles; has high water and nutrient holding capacity
Loam
has almost equal parts of sand, silt, and clay; ideal texture for most non-container plants
Soil pH
the measure of acidity or alkalinity of soils; ranges from 0-14
0 - 6.9 pH
low pH - Acid soil
7 pH
neutral pH
8 - 14 pH
high pH - alkaline soil
Lime
used to raise the pH value in soils (make soil less acidic)
Calcium / sulfur
used to lower the pH in soils (make soil more acidic)
Permeability
the rate at which water moves through the soil
Water holding capacity
the ability to hold water for plant use
Porosity
is the amount of air space between soil particles
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