Soil fertility is a very important aspect for those who use their lands to grow crops. To determine how fertile a piece of land is, it is important to carry out a soil test. The test is meant to measure the amount or level of macro and micro-nutrients in the ground. These nutrients are important for the healthy growth of plants. Here are facts regarding Southern California Soil Testing.
Mostly, the commonly performed test is for the purposes of determining the level of pH or acidity. Another measured aspect is the cation exchange capacity, CEC. A high CEC level means that the soils are good as it shows higher cation exchange between the ground and plants. Furthermore, the test confirms the ability of the soil to provide as well as retain essential nutrients required by plants.
The percentage of organic matter in the ground greatly determines the level of CEC of land. The percentage of organic matter is usually abbreviated as OM. This abbreviation also has influence on the saturation percentage base. Base saturation measures the abundance of calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Once the test has been completed, one can base on the findings to determine what changes or adjustments they need to do to make the soils more fertile. The most common amendment that most people take is to add fertilizer to the land so as to improve the amount of calcium, magnesium, and potassium cations. The land is only said to be fertile if the cations are available in the right amounts and proportions.
As mentioned earlier, it is only after a person is aware of the fertility level of their land that they are able to add the correct quantity of lime and fertilizer. There are cases where a single or few nutrients are in deficit in the ground but not all nutrients. This way a person will know what nutrients to improve on and by what quantity. Each year, most homeowners normally apply lime on their lawns believing that it the right thing.
However, when homeowners test the soils in their lawns, the results are usually contradictory. To the realization of the homeowner, the lime actually destroys soils rather than improving their fertility. The balance of nutrients in the ground needs to be carefully maintained as it is delicate. The plants may be stressed if one applies more than the required amendments.
The pH of the land usually has a lot of effect on the solubility of various nutrients in the soil. When nutrients are soluble, they are readily available for absorption by plants. As such, the pH must be maintained at the right level for maximum absorption of nutrients. Otherwise, the land could be suitably fertile, but because of the pH level, the nutrients cannot be absorbed by plants.
The suitable pH range of most plants is 6.5 and 7.0. This pH range implies that the soils are either slightly acidic or neutral. But, it is crucial to understand that some varieties of plants need soils that are acidic in order to do well. As such, a person must set the pH level of the soils depending on the variety of plant they intend to grow.
Mostly, the commonly performed test is for the purposes of determining the level of pH or acidity. Another measured aspect is the cation exchange capacity, CEC. A high CEC level means that the soils are good as it shows higher cation exchange between the ground and plants. Furthermore, the test confirms the ability of the soil to provide as well as retain essential nutrients required by plants.
The percentage of organic matter in the ground greatly determines the level of CEC of land. The percentage of organic matter is usually abbreviated as OM. This abbreviation also has influence on the saturation percentage base. Base saturation measures the abundance of calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Once the test has been completed, one can base on the findings to determine what changes or adjustments they need to do to make the soils more fertile. The most common amendment that most people take is to add fertilizer to the land so as to improve the amount of calcium, magnesium, and potassium cations. The land is only said to be fertile if the cations are available in the right amounts and proportions.
As mentioned earlier, it is only after a person is aware of the fertility level of their land that they are able to add the correct quantity of lime and fertilizer. There are cases where a single or few nutrients are in deficit in the ground but not all nutrients. This way a person will know what nutrients to improve on and by what quantity. Each year, most homeowners normally apply lime on their lawns believing that it the right thing.
However, when homeowners test the soils in their lawns, the results are usually contradictory. To the realization of the homeowner, the lime actually destroys soils rather than improving their fertility. The balance of nutrients in the ground needs to be carefully maintained as it is delicate. The plants may be stressed if one applies more than the required amendments.
The pH of the land usually has a lot of effect on the solubility of various nutrients in the soil. When nutrients are soluble, they are readily available for absorption by plants. As such, the pH must be maintained at the right level for maximum absorption of nutrients. Otherwise, the land could be suitably fertile, but because of the pH level, the nutrients cannot be absorbed by plants.
The suitable pH range of most plants is 6.5 and 7.0. This pH range implies that the soils are either slightly acidic or neutral. But, it is crucial to understand that some varieties of plants need soils that are acidic in order to do well. As such, a person must set the pH level of the soils depending on the variety of plant they intend to grow.
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