Rabu, 19 Desember 2018

Useful Information Regarding Southern California Soil Testing

By Jennifer Hall


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.

Usually, the level of pH is determined s part of the test performed. CEC (Cation exchange capacity) is also another factor that is measured. Normally, there should be a high level of CEC in soil for it to be able to exchange cations with plants. The ability of the soil to retain and provide the necessary nutrients to plants is also another aspect that the test measures.

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.

After the tests have been done, one can use the findings in determining what alterations or changes they have to make to the land to increase its fertility. The mostly done amendment by most people is addition of fertilizer to the ground to increase the quantity of potassium, magnesium and calcium elements in the soil. Fertility of land is greatly determined by availability and balance of these elements.

As stated above, it is only after one knows the level of fertility of their land that they can add the right amount of fertilizer and lime. In some cases, not all nutrients are deficient in the soil, but rather, just one or a few nutrients. Therefore, one can know which nutrient needs to be improved and by how much. Many homeowners usually apply lime on their lawns every year because they believe that it is the right thing to do.

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 solubility of a wide range of nutrients in the soils is usually affected by its pH. Plants easily absorb the available nutrients when they are soluble. This means that the pH must be retained at the correct level in order to allow maximum absorption. Failure to observe this would mean that plants cannot the nutrients due to unsuitable pH level despite the land being suitably fertile.

A pH of 6.5 to 7.0 is the level that most plants need. This level of pH makes soils slightly acidic or neutral. One should note that some plants grow well in acidic soils however. Therefore, the plant that needs to be grown determines the pH level to be maintained too.




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