Soil for Virginia Master Gardeners

•What you should know•What you can do

•What you should be able to teach

Francis J. Reilly, Jr.

•http://advancedmastergardener.org/•Webmaster@VMGA.net

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Shameless Commercial

Have you joined VMGA?

•The Voice of VA Master Gardeners

•Promote fellowship, training & communication

•State Coordinator’s Endowment.

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Outline

• Why Soils

• What are Soils

• Soil testing and fertility

• Practice

• Compost

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Why are Soils Important?

• ?

• ?

• ?

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Why are Soils Important?

• Support Plant growth

• Mediate Climate

• Store water

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Why do we need to know about soils?

• ?

• ?

• ?

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Why do we need to know about soils?

• Its what plants grow in• Troubleshoot plant problems by looking at

soil• Disease – Abiotic Factors• Will water be easily given up to the plant• Are there any Soil Organisms at Work• Does water soak in

• Run off?• Stand on the surface?

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What is Soil?

Ideally:

•25% Air

•25% Water

•45-48% Minerals

•2-5% Organic matter

•Soil organisms

Mineral & Organic Materials that contain living matter and can support vegetation

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Where Does Soil Come from?

• Parent Material• Climate• Time• Relief, Topography• Organisms

– Human Activity– Beavers– Grazers like cows and deer– Worms – Bacteria/fungi

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        Appalachian Plateaus         Valley and Ridge

        Blue Ridge         Piedmont Plateau

                Coastal Plain

Physiographic Regions

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Physiographic regions and soil types

• Physiographic Regions describe land surface features

• Closely related to geology

• Slope, and soils are related

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Soils Classified

• Soil Survey

• Printed version (1960)– Ask in the

office where that copy is!

• On-line version

• New version on line

http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/Metadata.aspx?Survey=VA107&UseState=VA

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What can the soil survey tell you?

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What can the soil survey tell you?

• Drainage

• Slope

• Topography

• Water features

• Wetlands

• Crop worthiness

• Buildability

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How Do You Use It?

• Use it to plan• Don’t use it to

DO!• Look up spot

on map• See what it

says• Read about

the soil type• SOIL TYPE?

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Soil Type

Soils Classified by:

•Depth of layer

•Color

•Texture

•Structure

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State Soil of Virginia!

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Soil Taxonomy

• Soil Orders

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Depth

Horizon Depth Information

O 0-2” Humus

A 1”-10” Minerals darkened by organics,

zone of max biology

E ? Empty – Paler depleted by water

leaching out of A into B

B 10”-30” Zone of accumulation

C 30”-48” Not really like soil

R Below Parent material

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Color

• Color of parent material

• Other Colors due to pedagenesis

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Soil Texture

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Soil Texture

•Sand are the largest particles and they feel "gritty."

•Silt are medium sized, and they feel soft, silky or "floury."

•Clay are the smallest sized particles, and they feel "sticky" and they are hard to squeeze.

Sand 2.00 - 0.05 mm Silt 0.05 - 0.002 mm Clay < 0.002 mm

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How to Texture

• 1st a pinch

• Then a ribbon

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Soil Structure

Granular Blocky

Prismatic Platy

Columnar Single Grained

Massive

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Soil Structure

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So what about structure?

• Drainage

• Plant penetration

• Oxygen penetration

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Pore Spaces

•The smaller the particles

•The smaller the pore spaces

•Water moves slowly

•Less air present

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How do we improve soils?

• ?

• ?

• ?

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How do we improve soils?

• Drainage

• Moisture

• Fertility

• Soil Health

• Problems

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Pore Spaces can decrease due to compaction

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Soil horizons and water infiltration

•Horizons have different properties

•Some may retard water flow

•Watch out for the “builder’s horizon”

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Check for Yourself

•Dig a hole 12 inches deep and fill it with water

•30 minutes, the soil has a drainage problem

•24 hours, waterlogged soils may impact plant growth

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Soils have moisture characteristics

• Important for runoff

• Important for plants

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Fertility

• Soil Tests

• Kits

• Cheap meters

• Agricultural testing

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How’d we do?

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How’s that stack up?

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Lets look at our soil tests!

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What’s wrong with “none?”

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P Results

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

VH

H

M

L

Statewide1 in 7 existing lawn samples test low in phosphorus.

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Other stuff

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Lawn Notes

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So now what?

• Calculate the area

• Read the bag

• Do the math

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Calculate the area

• Remember to subtract– The driveway– The house– The sidewalk– The other gardens

• Remember to add– The devil strip

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Lets do another!

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Blue Berries Notes

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So now what?

• Calculate the area

• Read the bag

• Do the math

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Calculate the area

• Remember to subtract– The driveway– The house– The sidewalk– The other gardens

• Remember to add– The devil strip

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Read the bag

• NPK

– Turf type

– Complete

– Calculate the percentages

– WIN

• Organics

– Cottonseed meal, Blood Meal

– Sludge

– Farm applications of sludge or poultry

litter

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Specialty Fertilizers

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Do the math

• Area

• Total pounds N P K needed

• Pounds of fertilizer to use

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Lets do our own!

• Help your neighbor

• Check your math

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Apply the fertilizer

• Methods– Broadcast– Banding– Side-Dressing– Foliar Feeding– Spreader – Calibrate it!!

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pH – Lime

• Lime– Calcitic– dolomitic

• Sulfur

• Wood ash

• Pay attention to what’s growing there!

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pH Results

Statewide 1 in 3 are over limed

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Micronutrients

• Unusual deficiency

• Blossom end rot

• Green sand

• Other snake oils

• Use compost

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Composting = Recycling

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Recycle Yard Waste

• Microorganisms• Moisture• Particle size• Temperature• Oxygen• Carbon / Nitrogen Ratio

Composting Considerations

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Microorganisms

Bacteria

Fungi

Recycle Yard Waste

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Moisture

50% is ideal

Recycle Yard Waste

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Particle SizeRecycle Yard Waste

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Particle Size

Recycle Yard Waste

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Temperature Profile

Cool

Hot

WarmCold Cold

900 to 1400 F

Recycle Yard Waste

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Compost Pile Dimensions

How Small?

Minimum Size3 X 3 X 3

How Big?

Maximum Size5 X 5 X 5

Recycle Yard Waste

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Oxygen

To speed process, turn more frequently

Recycle Yard Waste

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Carbon : Nitrogen Ratio

30:1 is ideal ratio

“Browns” vs. “Greens”

Recycle Yard Waste

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High Carbon Sources•Leaves

•Paper

•Straw

•Sawdust

Recycle Yard Waste

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Materials With High Carbon Value

Fruit Wastes 35:1Leaves 40-80:1Corn Stalks 60:1Straw 80:1Bark 100-130:1Paper 170:1Sawdust 500:1Wood 700:1

Recycle Yard Waste

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High Nitrogen Sources

•Grass Clippings

•Kitchen Scraps

•Manures

Recycle Yard Waste

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Materials With High Nitrogen Value

Food Wastes 15:1Grass Clippings 20:1Cow Manure 20:1Horse Manure 25:1

Recycle Yard Waste

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C:N Ratio – How to Measure?

Start with equal parts by volume

Recycle Yard Waste

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Do Not Compost • Diseased Plants• Plants with Seeds• Meat• Invasive Weeds• Oily Food Scraps• Dog/ Cat Manure

Recycle Yard Waste

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Constructing A Compost Pile

1) Place coarse materials in bottom of pile

2) Add 4” to 6” layer of leaves

3) Add high nitrogen source ( grass clippings or manure)

4) Water the pile after each layer

5) Continue steps 2, 3 & 4 until bin is full

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A new compost pile will be built in the center unit of a three-

pallet bin system.

Recycle Yard Waste

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The first step is to add a bed of twigs and small branches to

promote air circulation.

Recycle Yard Waste

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A layer of “browns” is added. Watering between layers ensures that

moisture is evenly distributed.

Recycle Yard Waste

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Next, a layer of fresh “greens” is added.

Recycle Yard Waste

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Add and water another layer of browns.

Recycle Yard Waste

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Fresh greens come from flower pruning.

Recycle Yard Waste

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The browns spent the fall and winter in the adjacent bin.

Recycle Yard Waste

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The next layer of greens is also from prunings.

Recycle Yard Waste

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A fourth layer of browns is added. The layering process will resume when

more greens are available.

Recycle Yard Waste

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Finished compost can be improved by sifting through a screen to

remove oversized pieces.

Recycle Yard Waste

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An inclined screen uses gravity for some of the sifting effort.

Recycle Yard Waste

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The screen is loaded with compost.

Recycle Yard Waste

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Use a square shovel to scrape the compost against screen.

Recycle Yard Waste

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The screen is removed to reveal the sifted compost. The rejects will be

added to a fresh pile.

Recycle Yard Waste

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Choice in Composting Bins

• Home made– Snow Fencing, Pallets,Wire, Wood

Slats, Concrete Blocks, Etc.• Store Bought

– Metal and Plastic Bins and Drums

Recycle Yard Waste

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Wire Bin

Eleven-foot length of 2” x 4” x 36” welded, medium-gauge fence wire.

Recycle Yard Waste

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Wooden Pallet Bin

Recycle Yard Waste

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Wooden Pallet Three BinRecycle Yard Waste

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Fasten Pallets With Old Coat Hangers

Recycle Yard Waste

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Wooden Pallets & Snow Fencing Recycle Yard Waste

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Purchased Bins

Recycle Yard Waste

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Compost Trouble Shooting

Symptom Problem Solution

Compost has a bad odor

Too much nitrogen or not enough air

Add high carbon material and turn pile

Center of pile is dry Not enough water Moisten and turn pile

Pile is damp and warm only in middle

Pile is too small Collect more material and mix into a new pile

Pile is damp but will still not heat up

Lack of nitrogen Mix in nitrogen source like grass clippings

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Uses of Compost

• Soil Amendment• Potting Mix• Lawn Establishment/renovation• Mulch

Recycle Yard Waste

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Benefits of Using Compost • Improves water-holding capacity of soil

• Improves soil structure

• Prevents soil crusting aiding seedling emergence

• Provides a food source for soil organisms

• Increases the fertilizer-holding ability of soil

Recycle Yard Waste

COMPOST HAPPENS!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Minimize Waste to Minimize Work

Questions?www.AdvancedMasterGardener.org