2015 MG Fertilizers1 Soils Claudia Groth Master Gardener Program Instructor [email protected]2015 Master Gardener Training Deserts, swamps, mountains, N/S poles Too hot Too wet Too rocky Oceans Can be developed Available soil Our Soil Where do soils come from? • Parent material • Climate • Topography • Living things • Time Soil Profile 1998 Michael Hofmockel PNW Soil Groups
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2015 Master Gardener Training - Home | Oregon State ...extension.oregonstate.edu/columbia/sites/default/files/2015_mg...–Garden waste/manure/mushroom/etc. ... • Sphagnum peat moss
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• Difficult to study and characterize – Culture vs DNA methods vs ???
Mycorrhizae3
Actinobacteria1
Rhizobia2
1No. 14 from Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry Slide Set. 1976. J.P. Martin, et al., eds. SSSA, Madison, WI 2Stephen Temple, New Mexico State University 3Mycorrhizal Applications, Inc., Grants Pass, Oregon
Any CEC value is not good or bad • Affects lime/fertilizer needed • Used in soil test recommendations
CEC is low in very sandy soils • Poor capacity to hold nutrients • Added fertilizer nutrients leach easily • Multiple small applications • Slow release fertilizers
Cation Exchange Capacity
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Influencing Nutrient Availability
• Soil texture
• Amount of organic matter
• Competition/impact of other nutrients – taking up all the space on soil particles
– forming insoluble compounds
• Microbes alter the form of nutrients
• Temperature of soil
• Acidity of soil
Why does pH matter?
Acid? Alkaline? Neutral?
(CA Fertilizer Assoc)
Soil pH and Nutrient Availability pH is measured in log scale
What does “log scale” mean ?
100 times increase in acidity
10 times increase
pH=6 pH=5
pH=4
Changing Soil pH
• Raising pH – Lime (max. 5 lb. per 100 sq.ft.)
– Wood ashes ( 1.5 lb. per 100 sq.ft. per year)
• Lowering pH – Ammonium sulfate
– Sulfur-coated urea
– Aluminum sulfate
– Sulfur (max. 5 lb. per 100 sq.ft.)
Ensuring Plant Nutrition • What’s there already?
– Soil testing
• Conserve what we have – Optimum pH (keeps nutrients in available form) – Reduce erosion (nutrients leave with soil) – Reduce leaching (nutrients move below roots) – Recycle them (composting and mulching)
Soil Test Results Ensuring Plant Nutrition • What’s there already?
– Soil testing
• Conserve what we have – Reduce erosion (nutrients leave with soil) – Reduce leaching (nutrients move below roots) – Recycle them (composting and mulching) – Optimum pH (keeps nutrients in available form)
• Adding what we need – Packaged – organic material – cover crops
The Phosphorus Issue
Excess phosphorus degrades waterways
• Limit the use of phosphorus fertilizers – Soil testing
• Minimize water runoff – Reduce erosion
– Increase cover
– Improve irrigation efficiency
Ensuring Plant Nutrition • What’s there already?
– Soil testing
• Conserve what we have – Reduce erosion (nutrients leave with soil) – Reduce leaching (nutrients move below roots) – Recycle them (composting and mulching) – Optimum pH (keeps nutrients in available form)
• Adding what we need – Packaged – organic material – cover crops
• Ornamental trees – lower requirement – Wide-ranging root system – Not an intensive crop
• Vegetable garden – higher requirement – Maximum crop desired – Short season of growth
Natural – Organic – Synthetic
What does it really mean?
– Consumers
– State fertilizer regulations
– US Department of Agriculture
– Environmental Protection Agency
– Private certifying agencies
Humic acids Amino acids Environmentally-friendly
And what about . . .
Probiotic Vitamins
Balanced Complete Healthy Enhanced
Added Microbes • Mycorrhizae
• Bacteria
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Fertilizer Side Panel
Total Nitrogen (N) …………………………………… 5.0% 2.0% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 0.6% Water Soluble Nitrogen 2.4% Water Insoluble Nitrogen Available Phosphate (P2O5) ….…………………… 8.0% Soluble Potash (K2O) …………….………………… 4.0% Derived from: dried poultry waste; alfalfa meal;
ammonium sulfate; ammonium phosphate; sulfate of potash magnesia; calcium and sodium borate; ferrous, manganese, and zinc oxides; sodium molybdate.
Choices, choices, choices
Choose by form of nutrients S l o w – r e l e a s e vs.
Choose by source of nutrients
Synthetic
vs.
Natural
»» Fast-acting
Sources • Ammonium sulfate • Ammonium phosphate • Urea • Some naturals - Bat guano - Blood meal - Fish meal
Fast-acting • Water soluble nitrogen • Other water soluble nitrogen • Water soluble organic nitrogen • Ammoniacal nitrogen • Urea nitrogen • Nitrate nitrogen
Long-lasting • Water insoluble organic nitrogen
• Water insoluble nitrogen
• Sulfur-coated urea
• Polymer-coated urea
• Coated slow release
Sources • Ureaformaldehyde
• Methylene urea
• Nitroform
• Most naturals, such as:
dried poultry waste
alfalfa meal
blood meal
Reading the Label Total Nitrogen (N)………………………………… 7.0% 5.92% Water Insoluble Nitrogen 1.08% Water Soluble Organic Nitrogen Available Phosphate (P2O5)………………… 7.0% Soluble Potash (K2O)…………………………… 2.0% Calcium (Ca)…………………………………………… 7.0%
Derived from: Fish meal, fish bone meal, sunflower hull ash, alfalfa meal, feather meal, and blood meal.
85% slow-release nitrogen
all-natural
Reading the Label
Total Nitrogen (N)……………………………. 5.0% 0.50% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 3.75% Other Water Soluble Nitrogen 0.75% Water Insoluble Nitrogen Available Phosphate (P2O5)………….. 1.0% Soluble Potash (K2O)………………………. 1.0% Derived from: Seagoing Fish Emulsion.
85% quick-release nitrogen
all-natural
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Reading the Label
Total Nitrogen (N)………………………………. 21.0% 13.2% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 7.8% Urea Nitrogen* Available Phosphate (P2O5)………………… 2.0% Soluble Potash (K2O)…………………………… 4.0% Sulfur (S)………………………………………………… 16.0% Iron (Fe)……………………………………………………1.0% *5.2% Slowly available urea nitrogen from sulfur-
– Fertilizing Your Garden: Vegetables, Fruits and Ornamentals (EC 1503)
– Fertilizing Shade and Ornamental Trees (FS 103) – Cover Crops for Home Gardens in
Western Washington and Oregon (EB 1824) – Values of Organic Fertilizers (Douglas Cty) (LC 437) – Nutrient Disorders in Tree Fruits (PNW 121-E) – Fertilizing Lawns (LC 1278 )