Soils Anthony P. Tuggle Extension Agent Rutherford County

Soils

Anthony P. Tuggle

Extension Agent

Rutherford County

Introduction

What is Soil?the basic

material of the gardener’s art

not “dirt” (dirt is soil out of place)

The Formation of Soil

Soil is formed over many years by the physical or chemical weathering of rock.

Parent material refers to those rocks or deposits from which a soil develops.

Soil Profile

Most soils are arranged in 3 distinct layers or horizons.

The principle horizons are collectively called the soil profile.

A = Topsoil

B = Subsoil

C = Parent Matter

The Formation of Soil The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

lists 8 Major Land Resource Areas in Tennessee Southern Mississippi Valley Alluvium (MS River Bottoms) S. MS Valley Silty Uplands(The Deep Loess Region)

Southern Coastal Plains The Highland Rim and Pennyroyal The Nashville Basin (Central Basin) The Cumberland Plateau and Mountains The Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys Blue Ridge (The West Slope of the Appalachian

Mountains)

Soil Composition(Of a Good Soil)

Water & Air - 50% Soil Mineral Matter - 48.5% Living Organisms - .5% Organic Matter - 1%

Water & Air

Saturation

Field Capacity

Permanent Wilting Point

Living Organisms

.5%

Enhances development of structure.

Organic Matter

Stabilizes soil structure.

Source of nutrients (nitrogen, sulfur)

1%

Eat MoreChicken

Large nutrient and water holding capacity

Soil Physical Properties Soil Texture Soil Structure Landscape Position Slope Rooting Depth Color Drainage Presence of Rock Fragments

Soil Color

•Organic Matter

•Age

•Drainage

Soil Texture

The Size of Soil Particles

Medium Silt

FineSand

Coarse Clay

Percent Clay

1009

0807

0605

040

30

20

10

Percent Silt

10

20

30

40

50

Soil

Textural

Triangle

60

708

090100

Percent Sand

1020304050

60

70

80

90

100

Granular

Blocky Prismatic

Columnar

Platy

Types of Soil Structure

Soil Chemical Properties

Cation Exchange

Example:

Rainfall results in constant introduction of H ions, forcing calcium and other bases into the soil solution where they are leached away.

Reversing Cation

Exchange•Limestone is added

•Calcium ions replace H and other cations

•Result – clay becomes higher in exchangable Calcium and lower in H and Al

Soil Management To identify your soil type:

Take handful of soil from your garden and rub a little between your finger and thumb.

Clay feels sticky and will roll into a ball that simply changes shape when pressed.

Sand is coarse and gritty. Silt feels silky. Limestone has a dry crumbly feel and a

grayish-white color. Peat is black and moist.

Soil Types

Five main soil types: Clay Sand Silt Limestone Peat

Soil Types: Clay

Clay soils are typically heavy, cold soils which feel sticky when moist and are hard and compacted when dry.

Soil Types: Sand

Sandy soils are dry and light.

Will feel gritty between the fingers

Soil Types: Limestone

Calcareous soils are pale “hungry-looking” soils that often contain a high proportion of stones and flints

Soil Types: Silt

Silty-type soil is neither gritty or sticky. The soil particles are small, making it feel smooth and silky to the touch.

Soil Types: Peat

Peat is a distinctive dark brown or gray color and has a spongy texture.

It is rich in decomposed matter.

Essential Plant Nutrients

Three elements Carbon [C] Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (O)

are supplied by air (in the form of carbon dioxide) and water.

Essential Plant NutrientsEssential Plant Nutrients

Non-Mineral:

Carbon - C

Hydrogen - H

Oxygen - O

Primary or Macronutrients:

Nitrogen - N

Phosphorus - P

Potassium - K

Secondary:

Calcium - Ca

Magnesium - Mg

Sulfur - S

Micronutrients:

Zinc - Zn

Chlorine - Cl

Boron - B

Molybdenum - Mo

Copper - Cu

Iron - Fe

Manganese - Mn

Function of Essential Elements

NITROGEN - Vegetative growth

PHOSPHORUS - New root growth, blooms & seeds

POTASSIUM - Vigor & disease resistance, stalk strength, seed quality

CALCIUM - Root formation, straw stiffness

MAGNESIUM - Helps uptake of other elements

SULFUR - Amino acids, vitamins, dark green color

Soil Mineral MatterSoil Mineral Matter

48.5%

Four Phases of Soil Management

Analyzing Your Soil Using Soil Conditioners Adding General Fertilizer Using Specific Fertilizers

Analyzing Your Soil

Don’t Guess, Soil Test! A basic soil test can be conducted through

your county Extension office. Charge: $6/sample (for basic soil test) Takes about 2 weeks to receive the results. A basic soil test will indicate the pH value,

Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) content.

Analyzing Your SoilThe Soil Test

Tools Needed: A soil probe, shovel

or spade Bucket Soil test form Soil sample box


When to sample: Soils can be analyzed at any time of the year,

however fall is the most desirable time. Fields are drier and more accessible and the

lab is not as busy. *Soil samples must be dry when submitted to the lab.

Testing in fall allows recommended rates of lime, phosphate and potash to be applied well in advance of spring planting.


How Often: Before planting a new garden or landscape

area then: Lawns/Gardens/Ornamental beds—

every 3 – 5 years or if you suspect a problem.

High value crops—test annually Continuous row crops/double cropping

systems—every 2-3 years.


Soil test results can be no better than the sample collected.

For large areas, soil portions should be taken from an area not to exceed 10 acres.

For lawns and gardens, soil portions should be collected at random from 8-10 locations. Areas of contrasting soils, problem spots or portions of

the field where crop response is significantly different should be sampled separately.


Small portions of soil should be gathered from several locations.

Dig at least 6” deep. Place soil in bucket, then go on to the next area and

do the same thing again. Mix portions together in the bucket, remove all grass,

rocks and other debris. Then keep approximately one cup of soil to be submitted to the soil lab for analysis.

How To Take a Good Soil Sample? Properly Select the Sampling Area.

The area should not exceed 10 acres. Areas of contrasting soils, problem spots, etc.

should be sampled separately if possible.

X

Collect Adequate Sub-samples

Collect Good Sub-samples

Uniform coresUniform cores

are important!are important!

Soil pH and Its Effects of Nutrient Availability

Soil pH refers to the amount of hydrogen (H) ions or acidity found in soils.

As acid levels (H ion concentration) increase, the pH of the soil decreases.

The pH scale ranges from 0 –14 with most soils in Tennessee ranging in value from 4.5 to 7.5.


Soils with pH values greater than 7.0 are alkaline or sweet.

Soils with pH values less than 7.0 are acid or sour.

Nutrient availability is directly affected by pH.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ________________________________________

ACID/SOUR ALKALINE/SWEET

Soil pH and Its Effects on Nutrient Availability


What does lime do? Lime reduces the amounts of soluble

aluminum and manganese to nontoxic levels. As pH increases, the availability of

manganese and aluminum decreases. This prevents plants from being exposed to toxic amounts of these elements.

Manganese and aluminum toxicities become major problems in many plants when the soil pH drops near 5.).


Adjusting the Soil pH Various lime sources are used to adjust soil

pH upwards (to more alkaline/sweet range) when it falls below the recommended ranges.

Sources such as elemental sulfur, iron sulfate, and aluminum sulfate are used to adjust soil pH downwards (to more acid/sour range) when it is above the recommended ranges.

ADJUSTING THE SOIL PH LEVEL Apply lime to reduce soil acidity.

Use no more than 50 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. Expect long adjustment period.

Apply sulfur to increase soil acidity. Use 2 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. for each .1 unit change in the pH level. Expect extremely short adjustment period.


While the water pH indicates the need for lime, the buffer pH determines how much lime to apply.

Buffer pH is a measure of the amount of acid held by the soil particles and accounts for the total acid that must be neutralized when lime is added.


Filling out the information sheet: For each sample listed in the left column, you

may request up to 3 recommendations. Use the table on the back of the information

sheet to determine the appropriate crop codes to use.

Soil sample boxes should be marked clearly with the sample numbers corresponding to those shown on the information sheet.

Fertilizer Analysis

A fertilizer bag should list: Percentages of:

N P2O5

K2O

Sources of Nutrients Urea or Ammonium

Nitrate Triple Super

Phosphate Muriate of Potash

Amount (wt.) of Fertilizer

Application Methods

Broadcasting Banding Fertilization of Planted Area only Side dressings Foliar Feeding

HOW SHOULD FERTILIZER BE SPREAD ?

Gravity Flow

Centrifugal

Hand

HOW SHOULD FERTILIZER BE SPREAD ?

Spread the material as uniformly as possible.

Calibrate your equip-ment to apply the recommended amount.

Adding General Fertilizers

Supplies of manure and compost are not always available and the application of organic matter adds more to the soil structure rather than supplying sufficient amounts of nutrients. So, supplements may be needed.

Pay attention to the type of crop you are growing as well as the soil test results.


Organic vs. Inorganic Organic fertilizers: the nutrients contained in

the product are derived solely from the remains of a once-living organism.

Examples: cotton-seed meal, blood meal, bone meal

Inorganic or synthetic fertilizers: nutrients contained in the product are derived from inorganic materials.

Examples: urea, osmocote etc.


Fertilizer Materials: The fertilizer analysis on the bag refers to how

much of an element there is in a material, based on the % in weight.

All fertilizers are labeled with 3 numbers that give the % by weight of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (expressed as P2O5) and Potassium (K20).

Simply put, the numbers represent N, P, K


Special Purpose Fertilizers: Some fertilizers are packaged for certain uses such as

“tomato food” or “azalea food” They may be formulated to release a higher amount of

nutrient needed by a specific plant. They may be formulated to empty your pocket book!

Slow Release Fertilizers: Contain one or more essential nutrients which are

released over a an extended time. Advantages include: fewer applications, low burn

potential and slow release rates.

Fertilizer Materials

Complete Versus Incomplete Fertilizer Special Purpose Fertilizers Slow Release Fertilizers Organic Fertilizer


Complete Fertilizers: A fertilizer which contains N, P & K (the

primary nutrients) Common examples are: 6-12-12, 10-10-10,

12-12-12, 15-15-15 etc. Incomplete Fertilizers:

Will be missing one or more of the primary nutrients.

Examples: 34-0-0 (Ammonium Nitrate), 46-0-0 (Urea), 18-46-0 (diammonium phosphate), 0-0-60 (muriate of potash) etc.

Using Specific Fertilizers Some crops will always need special treatment even

when the manure and fertilizer levels are sufficient to start with. Green-house tomatoes will benefit from extra feeding

and a potash fertilizer to encourage fruit and flower formation.

Leafy plants that remain in the ground for a long time such as cabbage may benefit from extra Nitrogen toward the end of the growing season.

Raspberries, blueberries and other acid loving plants are prone to iron deficiencies when grown in alkaline soil requiring fertilizer treatment.

Release Times for N SourcesBegin

Type Release Residual

Ammonium sulfate minutes 7+ days Urea minutes 20 days SCU (sulfur coated urea) 1 day years PCU and PCSCU 2 days 2 months+

Andersons (Scotts) Poly-SPursell Poly-OnLesco Poly Plus

MU (Methylene Urea) 4 days 4 monthsContec, Nutralene

UF (Ureaformaldahyde) 7 days 12 months+Nitroform, Bluechip

IBDU 3 days 4 months

Using Soil Conditioners

The best materials to add to your soil are compost and manure.

The addition of this organic matter will: Improve overall soil texture/structure Improve drainage Improve water holding capacity Provide some nutrients (actually makes

nutrients more readily available to plants)


Well-rotted animal manure is the very best material to use, but it can be difficult to obtain.

Compost is the ideal way to return as much organic matter as possible back to the soil, following natures example.

All amendments should be well-rotted and dug into the top layer of soil. If the organic matter is “hot” (like fresh mulch, sawdust, or fresh manure) this material will burn your plants.


Horse Manure Pig Manure Sheep Manure Chicken Manure Alternatives include:

Spent mushroom compost, seaweed, spent hops, wool shoddy, composted pine bark, cotton-seed hull, peat…


Green Manure Crops Are grown specifically to add organic matter to

beds that are empty for a period of time. It is sown with the intention of digging it into

the soil to provide organic matter and plant food.

Turn the crops under about 6 weeks before planting to allow the organic material to break-down.


Green Manure Crops that act as Nitrogen fixers: Alfalfa, broad or fava bean, red clover, lupin,

winter vetch

Green Manure Crops that do not fix Nitrogen: Buckwheat, rye, mustard, Italian ryegrass

Typical Composition of Organic Fertilizing MaterialsThe nitrogen in organic fertilizing materials becomes slowly available to plants. There is considerable variation between samples. The guarantee on the bag should be read carefully. This data is taken from official reports of state control departments.

Percentage on a Dry-Weight BasisOrganic Materials Total Available Phosphoric Water-Soluble Nitrogen, N Acid, P2O5 Potash, K2O

Bat guano 10.0 4.0 2.0Blood 13.0 2.0 1.0Blood and bone 6.5 7.0 . . .Bone black 1.3 15.0 . . .Bone meal, raw 3.0 15.0 . . . Steamed 2.0 15.0 . . .Castor bean meal 5.5 2.0 1.0Cotton seed meal 6.0 3.0 1.0Fish meal 10.0 4.0 . . .Fish solution 10.0 3.0 1.0

5.0 2.0 2.0Garbage tankage 1.5 2.0 0.7Horn and hoof meal 12.0 2.0 . . . Sewerage sludge 1.5 1.3 0.4 Activated 6.0 3.0 0.1Tankage 9.0 6.0 . . .

Typical Composition of Manures:Manures vary greatly in their content of fertilizing nutrients. The kind of feed used, the percentage and type of litter or bedding, the moisture content, and the age and degree of rotting or drying can all modify the composition. In the case of the commercially dried pulverized manures, some nitrogen is lost in the process. The following data is representative of typical analyses from widely scattered reports. Approximate Composition, Per Cent Pounds per Ton Moisture Nitrogen Phosphoric Acid PotashFresh Manure with Normal Quality of Bedding or LitterCow 86 11 3 10Duck 61 22 29 10Goose 67 22 11 10Hen 73 22 18 10Hog 87 11 6 9Horse 80 13 5 10Sheep 68 20 15 8Steer or feed yard 75 12 7 11Turkey 74 26 14 10Dried Commercial ProductsCow, East 10 42 63 61 West 16 18 15 31Hen, East (with litter) 16 56 57 30 West (droppings) 8 83 63 31 (with litter) 13 41 37 23Hog, West 10 45 42 20Rabbit, West 6 45 27 16Sheep, East 10 38 30 40 West 9 27 19 41Stockyard, East 8 41 32 36 West 15 41 11 38

Commonly Available Fertilizer Materials

For County Rutherford Date: 12/05/2002

Customer ID: 57909 Lab Number: 218686

*Ratings: Indicates relative availability of nutrients to plants. (Click Here for detailed explanation.)(L) = Low; (M) = Medium; (H) = High; (V) or (VH) = Very High; (D) = Deficient; (S) = Sufficient

**PPM = Parts per Million

If you have questions about these recommendations, contact your County Extension office.

SOIL TEST RESULTS and RATINGS* (Pounds per Acre)

SampleNumber

WaterpH

BufferValue

P K Ca Mg Zn Cu Fe Mn

Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Zinc Copper Iron Manganese

01 5.9 7.5 120+ V 320+ V

OrganicMatter

%

SolubleSalts

PPM**

RECOMMENDATIONSFertilizer/Lime Application Rate and Timing

Summer Bulbs

Fertilizer: Apply 1 level tablespoon full of ammonium nitrate(34-0-0) in March, June, and August to each 10 square feet of bed area.

Limestone: 1 pounds per 10 square feet

Note (5): If lime is recommended, use dolomitic limestone.

For County Rutherford Date: 12/05/2002

Customer ID: 57909 Lab Number: 2

SOIL TEST RESULTS and RATINGS*

(Pounds per Acre) OrganicMatter

%

SolubleSalts

PPM**SampleNumber

WaterpH

BufferValue

P K Ca Mg Zn Cu Fe Mn

Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Zinc Copper Iron Manganese

02 7.1 120+ V 149 M

RECOMMENDATIONS - Fertilizer/Lime Application Rate and Timing Shrub, Acid Loving

Fertilizer: Per 100 square feet of bed, broadcast evenly over mulch 1/4 lb (1/2 cup) of 40-0-0 sulfur coated urea, nitroform, ureaformaldehyde, or other slow release nitrogen fertilizer in early April. Then in mid-May and again in late June, broadcast 1/2 lb (1 cup) of 16-0-16 or equivalent amount of low phosphorus fertilizer. Test again next autumn

Limestone: Lime is not recommended at this timeNote (13): If soil pH is above 5.5, apply two-tenth (0.2) pound of elemental sulfur per 100 square feet (for medium-

textured, silt-loam soils) for each one-tenth (1/10) unit the pH is above 5.5. Use 1/3 more sulfur for fine-textured (clay) soils or 1/3 less sulfur for course-textured (sandy) soils than the amount required for medium textured soils. When more than three (3.0) pounds of sulfur per 100 square feet is required, it would be advisable to split the application. Apply two-thirds of the recommended amount and after 2 or 3 months re-test the soil. If the pH has not been sufficiently reduced apply the remainder of the material.

*Ratings: Indicates relative availability of nutrients to plants. (Click Here for detailed explanation.)(L) = Low; (M) = Medium; (H) = High; (V) or (VH) = Very High; (D) = Deficient; (S) = Sufficient

**PPM = Parts per MillionIf you have questions about these recommendations, contact your County Extension office

Summary—What have we learned?

To produce healthy crops, we must feed the soil and continually improve its texture by the addition of organic matter.

To manage your soil successfully, learn the soil type and its characteristics.

Know the essential plant nutrients PRIMARY (N, P, K) SECONDARY (CA, MG, S)

Summary—What have we learned?

Soil Management Phases Soil test Addition of soil

conditioners General fertilizer

use Specialized

fertilizer use

Plant-Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms

Chlorosis Necrosis Rosetting Pigment accumulation Stunting

Visual Diagnosis of Plant Nutrient Deficiencies

Iron

Posassium

Zinc

Boron

The End

Questions???????????????????????

Special Thanks to: Dewayne Trail-Rutherford County Director

Dewayne Perry – Williamson County Director

Karla Kean – Clarksville City Forester

Documents

Soils Anthony P. Tuggle Extension Agent Rutherford County