Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Soil conditioners may be used to improve water retention in dry, coarse soils which are not holding water well. The addition of organic material for instance can greatly improve the water retention abilities of sandy soils and they can be added to adjust the pH of the soil to meet the needs of specific plants or to make highly acidic or ...
Vegetal detritus generally is not soluble in water and, therefore, is inaccessible to plants. It constitutes, nevertheless, the raw matter from which plant nutrients derive. Soil microbes decompose it through enzymatic biochemical processes, obtain the necessary energy from the same matter, and produce the mineral compounds that plant roots are ...
Soil aeration is the mechanism of improving the exchange of gases between the atmosphere and soil. Through soil microbial activity and plant root respiration, certain gases such as oxygen will be depleted in the soil, while others, such as carbon dioxide, will build up in the soil. [1] Lack of oxygen in the soil can impact plant growth.
Some effects of agricultural lime on soil are: it increases the pH of acidic soil, reducing soil acidity and increasing alkalinity [1] it provides a source of calcium for plants; it improves water penetration for acidic soils; it improves the uptake of major plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) of plants growing on acid soils. [2]
Soil is composed of organic matter (decomposing plants, animals, and microbes), biomass (living plants, animals, and microbes), water, air, minerals (sand, silt, and clay), and nutrients (nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus). [4] For optimal plant growth, a proper carbon to nitrogen ratio of 20–30:1 must be maintained. [3]
Oxygen is essential to the growth of plant roots and soil organisms while the release of carbon dioxide through respiration is an integral part of the global carbon cycling. Optimal water and air movement through soils not only provide essential elements to sustain life but are also fundamental to various soil processes such as nutrient cycling.
Air plants, or tillidansias, don't need soil to survive, but they do need water. Here's how to easily care for your air plants, according to experts.
Tilling the soil, or tillage, is the breaking of soil, such as with a plough or harrow, to prepare the soil for new seeds. Tillage systems vary in intensity and disturbance. Conventional tillage is the most intense tillage system and disturbs the deepest level of soils. At least 30% of plant residue remains on the soil surface in conservation ...