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From the “Dirt” Up

From the “Dirt” Up. September 29, 2017 Steven E. Yergeau, Ph.D. County Agent III, Ocean & Atlantic Counties. What is Soil?. Soil is a complex mixture of minerals, water, air, organic matter, and countless organisms that are the decaying remains of once-living things

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From the “Dirt” Up

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  1. From the “Dirt” Up September 29, 2017 Steven E. Yergeau, Ph.D. County Agent III, Ocean & Atlantic Counties

  2. What is Soil? • Soil is a complex mixture of minerals, water, air, organic matter, and countless organisms that are the decaying remains of once-living things • Soil forms at the surface of land – it is the “skin of the earth” • Soil is capable of supporting plant life and is vital to life on earth

  3. What is Soil?

  4. How is Soil Formed? • Decomposing animals and plants • Rocks and minerals broken down through weathering (freezing, thawing) • Long process

  5. Why Do a Soil Test? There are three main reasons to perform a soil test: • Maintain Proper Soil Fertility • Guide Plant Selection • Perform Plant Problem Diagnosis

  6. Why Do a Soil Test? Maintaining Proper Soil Fertility Healthy plants need certain levels of soil nutrients to thrive. Soil nutrients and fertility may fluctuate during the growing season. Large quantities of plant nutrients are removed from soils as a result of plant growth and development, and the harvesting of crops. Soil tests take the guesswork out of fertilization and are very cost effective; they eliminate wasteful spending on fertilizer products. Test results and recommendations help protect our environment by discouraging the over-application of plant nutrients. Excess nutrients not used by plants may escape into groundwater, streams and lakes where they can contribute to environmental problems, such as algal blooms.

  7. Plant Nutrients These are called macronutrientsbecause plants need relatively large amounts of them. • Carbon (C) • Hydrogen (H) • Oxygen (O) • Nitrogen (N) • Phosphorus (P) • Potassium (K) • Calcium (Ca) • Magnesium (Mg) • Sulfur (S)

  8. Plant Nutrients These are called micronutrientsbecause plants need relatively smallamounts of them. • Iron (Fe) • Manganese (Mn) • Molybdenum (Mo) • Chlorine (Cl) • Copper (Cu) • Boron (B) • Zinc (Zn) • Nickel (Ni)

  9. Why Do a Soil Test? Guiding Plant Selection Some plants will grow in a wide range of soil pH levels, while others require a narrow range of pH. Most turf grasses, flowers, ornamental shrubs, vegetables and fruits grow best in slightly acid soils which represent a pH of 6.1 to 6.9. A soil test will determine whether the soil is acidic or alkaline. It is the most cost effective way to match the pH requirements of plants that you select with the pH of the soil in which you are planting.

  10. Why Do a Soil Test?

  11. Why Do a Soil Test? Performing Plant Problem Diagnostics Soil tests are an important tool for learning why plants lack vigor or are showing symptoms of other plant health issues. If trees are exhibiting yellowing (chlorotic) leaves or needles during the growing season, a soil test may reveal whether the symptom is caused by a lack of an essential nutrient, a problem with the soil pH or both!

  12. https://njaes.rutgers.edu/soil-testing-lab/

  13. Thank you! Any Questions? Steven E. Yergeau, Ph.D.Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County1623 Whitesville RoadToms River, NJ 08755(732) 505-3671yergeau@njaes.rutgers.eduocean.njaes.rutgers.edu

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