Download - Garden Soils

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GARDENINGGARDENING

• BILL TAYLOR

• WESTON COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE

• UNIVERSITY OF WYOMINGThe University of Wyoming, United States Department of Agriculture, and Weston County Office cooperate.

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HORTICULTUREHORTICULTURE

• THE CULTURE OF THE GARDEN.

• Vegetable gardens

• Flower gardens

• Fruit trees

• Shade & ornamental trees & shrubs

• Lawns

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Collection of living and inanimate materials on the earth’s surface that supports plant life.

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SOIL COMPONENTSSOIL COMPONENTS

• MINERAL - 45%

• ORGANIC MATTER - 5%

• PORE SPACE– Water - 25%– Air space - 25%

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MINERAL PARTICLESMINERAL PARTICLES

BY SIZE:

• Sand - gritty, loose, H2O runs through

• Silt - smooth, good growth, H2O medium hold

• Clay - sticky, hard, holds H2O tightly

• Loam - best mixture for growth– 40% sand & silt, 20% clay

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ORGANIC MATTERORGANIC MATTER

• OM FIRST, OM IN THE MIDDLE, OM LAST

• ADDS NUTRIENTS

• HOLDS WATER

• LOOSENS HARD SOILS

• BINDS IN CLUMPS

• BEST SOURCE - Compost

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SOIL STRUCTURE: A-prismatic; B-columnar; C-angular blocky; D-subangular blocky; E-platy; F-

granular

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Boot Camp Soil TestsBoot Camp Soil Tests

• SAMPLE 1 – NORTH SIDE– Texture: Sandy Clay Loam– Organic Matter: 2.0%– Lime: Low– pH: 8.0– Salt: 0.7 dS/m– RECOMMENDATION:

• 3.0 lb./1000 sq. ft. of Nitrogen (N)

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Boot Camp Soil Tests Boot Camp Soil Tests (cont.)(cont.)

• SAMPLE 2 – SOUTH SIDE– Texture: Sandy Clay– Organic Matter: 1.8%– Lime: None– pH: 7.6– Salt: 0.6 dS/m– RECOMMENDATION

• 3.1 lb./1000 sq. ft. of N

• 2.9 lb./1000 sq. ft. of phosphorus (P)

• 3.5 oz./1000 sq. ft. of zinc (Zn)