Soil Amendments and Fertilizers

What is a soil amendment and what is a fertilizer?

_________________ matter to the soil

Soil amendment is a material that primarily adds

Organic matter important for soil organisms Does contain nutrients needed by plants

_________________ to the soil

Fertilizer is a material that primarily adds

Some fertilizers may contain organic matter May not have all the nutrients that plants need

Soil Amendments

The impact of soil amendments on the soil and vegetable plants is dependent on the amount of ____________ and nitrogen in the amendment Carbon to nitrogen ratio

Normal carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio in soils is about _____:_____ Adding organic matter alters this ratio Problem

Materials with too ___________ a C:N ratio will tie up nitrogen making it unavailable for vegetable plants Soil organism use the carbon as an energy source and the nitrogen for ________________

Soil amendments

Examples

_______________

Is a living culture of organic matter similar to yogurt Rule: anything that is entirely organic in origin can be composted

Peat ____________ Sawdust

C:N ratio of 450:1

Green manures

Soil amendments Green manures

Introduction
_____________ manures are rapidly growing plants that are incorporated into the soil before planting the vegetables Advantages Can supply ____________ to the vegetable plant
Some green manures are legumes

_____________ loss of nutrients Makes plant nutrients available to the vegetable

crop Improves the ___________

Soil amendments

What is a legume?

Soil amendments

What is a legume?

It is a plant that has nodules on their roots which contain ___________________ bacteria The bacteria are able to convert nitrogen in the air into a form that plants can use Were used as a ____________ source before synthetic fertilizers were widely available

Soil amendments - Cover crops

growing and after they die they are left on the soil surface Purpose

Cover crops are plants that are rapidly

Protect the soil from _______________ Tie-up nutrients Prevent ____________ growth

Cover crops are most commonly fall-seeded Examples of plants used

Cereal ______________ _______________ vetch

Soil amendments/ Fertilizers

Animal manures Are intermediate between a soil amendment and a fertilizer Vary greatly in their ___________ composition

Caused by:

Animal Feed used Type of litter or bedding Degree of composting or decomposition

Must be _________________ before use

Animal Manures

Problems with manures

May contain harmful or undesirable contaminants _________ and other harmful bacteria may be in fresh manure Manures are _________ in nutrients compared to synthetic fertilizers

The most common commercially available types of manures

____________ manure Chicken (Poultry) manure

Animal manures

Table: Typical Composition of Manures

Composition (% Dry Matter)

Source

_____

P2O5 0.5 0.7-1.1

K2O 2.1 2.4-3.6

Alfalfa hay _____ Cow manure 0.6-2.1

Fertilizers
Introduction Plants take up the same nutrients

whichever category of fertilizer is used Several categories of fertilizers

____________ versus synthetic

Rapid versus slow _____________ Solid versus liquid

Organic Fertilizers

Advantages

May improve the taste of the vegetable Nutrients are released ________________ Nutrients are less likely to leach May benefit the soil microorganisms Some organic fertilizers also ___________ the soil

Organic Fertilizers

Problems

Are low in potassium

Semi-organic or ________________ based

Cost per unit of nutrient Most of the plant nutrients are available soon after application of the fertilizer Most organic examples are general compound fertilizers contain a number of ________ nutrients

Rapid release forms of plant nutrients

Organic Fertilizers Rapid release

Animal byproducts Source are processing plants or slaughterhouses Include

Dried ________ Fish meal _________ meal

Organic Fertilizers Rapid release

Bone meal

Excellent source of phosphorus and _____________ Problem

Might transmit diseases Mad cow ____________

No evidence that has occurred

Organic Fertilizers

Slow release

Are either plant byproducts or ground rock materials Release nutrients over a growing season or more Examples

_______________ meal Rock __________ Greensand

Organic Fertilizers

Slow release

Plant byproducts _________ meal

Rich in minor nutrients Contains 60 to 70 different chemical compounds

Organic Fertilizers

Rock phosphate

A finely ground natural rock powder There are two kinds:

Hard rock phosphate __________ phosphate

Potassium

Rock potash (greensand) Wood ashes

Are very ____________

Organic Fertilizers

Liquid fertilizers

Fertilizer nutrients are dissolved in __________ Advantages

Easy to apply The nutrients are available immediately Can injure plants Easy to over apply May ______________ or contaminate surface waters ________________ teas Manure teas Seaweed extract

Problems

Examples

Typical Composition of Some Organic Fertilizers

Composition (% Dry Weight)

Fertilizer Blood Fish meal

N 13.0 10.0

P2O5 2.0 15.0 6.0 ----

K2O 1.0 ------____

Bone meal _____ Greensand ----

Synthetic Fertilizers
Introduction Many _________________ fertilizers are derived from natural deposits The nutrients are concentrated Converted into a form that is readily
available in the soil

Synthetic Fertilizers

Advantages

Easy to apply ________________ Are readily available May easily be over-applied Can lead to ___________ build-up May have adverse effects on soil organisms Can be leached from __________ zone

Disadvantages

Synthetic Fertilizers

Nitrogen fertilizer

Most important component of synthetic fertilizers Synthesized from nitrogen in the air

Offshoot of World War II ammunition production Production is very _________________ intensive Ammonia _____________ Urea

Forms of nitrogen fertilizer