21 publications were found
on Commercial-Soil
- Beneficial Reuse of Municipal Biosolids in Agriculture (SB 27) Farmers have known for centuries that animal manures spread on pastures and cropland can improve soil fertility. In the 1920s, farmers began to use sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants as a fertilizer. Through decades of research, the scientific and agricultural communities have come to understand that municipal sludge or "biosolids" contain valuable nutrients and organic matter that …
- Best Management Practices for Wood Ash as Agricultural Soil Amendment (B 1142) Ash has been considered a waste product instead of a resource, because few industries have taken advantage of its beneficial properties. Several alternative uses for wood ash have been developed. Land application is one of the best because nutrients taken from the land during harvest are recycled back to the land.
- Biochar Basics Series: Biochar Basics: An Introduction to Biochar as a Container Substrate Component (C 1292-01) Additional author: Mengmeng Gu, Professor, Colorado State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Biochar has been proposed to be beneficial to the environment and plants. However, many people do not know what biochar is, what can biochar do, or how biochar can be used. In Part 1 of this publication, we provide introductory information on biochar used to partially replac…
- Biochar Basics Series: Biochar Basics: Biochar Properties and Making the Right Biochar Mix (C 1292-04) Additional author: Mengmeng Gu, Professor, Colorado State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Container substrates must fulfill several functions for plant growth: create a suitable environment for root growth, physically support them, hold nutrients and water, and enable gas exchange between the roots and the atmosphere. Suitable physical and chemical container subst…
- Biochar Basics Series: Biochar Basics: Effects on Plant Disease (C 1292-03) Additional author: Mengmeng Gu, Professor, Colorado State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. How does biochar play a role in a plant-disease system? Briefly, before the pathogen infects plants, biochar can improve plant growth by increasing water and nutrient uptake, a healthier plant may be more resistant to attack. On the other hand, after a pathogen infects the pl…
- Biochar Basics Series: Biochar Basics: Effects on Plant Growth (C 1292-02) Additional author: Mengmeng Gu, Professor, Colorado State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. Is Biochar Good or Bad for Plant Growth? Mixing biochar into soilless substrates may have negative, zero, or positive effects on plant growth. Biochar made from green waste mixed with peat at 50% by volume has been shown to increase prayer plants' total biomass and leaf surf…
- Calibration of Manure Spreaders (C 825) This publication primarily focuses on rear discharge, twin spinner spreaders common for poultry litter application in the southeast.
- Cation Exchange Capacity and Base Saturation (C 1040) Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is a measure of the total negative charges within the soil that adsorb plant nutrient cations such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and potassium (K+). As such, the CEC is a property of a soil that describes its capacity to supply nutrient cations to the soil solution for plant uptake.
- Cover Crop Biomass Sampling (C 1077) Cover crops are one of the most important practices that farmers can use to improve their soils and the sustainability of their production system. Knowing how much biomass there is in a field is a critical piece of information for cover crop management. Part 1 of this circular provides a step-by-step guide to taking a sample that will be representative of your field. Part 2 provides additional ste…
- Determining Lime Requirement Using the Equilibrium Lime Buffer Capacity (C 874) Soil pH is an important chemical property because it influences the availability of soil nutrients for plant uptake, and it affects a crop's root system development. Soil pH also indicates whether lime is needed to correct toxicities caused by aluminum and manganese, or to increase calcium levels in the soil. A new method measures the buffering capacity directly.
- Essential pH Management in Greenhouse Crops: pH and Plant Nutrition (B 1256) Your goal as a greenhouse grower is to maintain a stable pH over the life of the crop. This is not an easy task since many factors can affect pH in the growing substrate. The pH can go up or down within several weeks of the crop cycle and if you wait for deficiency or toxicity symptoms to develop, you have already compromised the health of the crop and you r profits. Knowing all factors involved i…
- How to Convert an Inorganic Fertilizer Recommendation to an Organic One (C 853) Many farmers and gardeners use natural minerals and organic fertilizers rather than synthetic ones to build their soil. If you use organic materials as all or part of your fertilization program, this publication will help you calculate the proper amount to use from the recommendations provided by a soil test.
- Recommended Practices for Using Wood Ash as an Agricultural Soil Amendment (B 1147) This publication covers a procedure for applying wood ash as a lime substitute on agricultural lands. This method can be used by manufacturers and dealers who wish to supply wood ash or by landowners who wish to receive wood ash. If the practices in this publication are followed, there should be no adverse environmental effects or regulatory consequence from the land application of wood ash.
- Selenium in Georgia Soils and Forages: Importance in the Livestock Industry (B 1390) This publication highlights the role of selenium in animal nutrition; selenium concentration and distribution in soils and feedstuffs (grains and forages) produced in various parts of the United States and in Georgia; disorders resulting from Selenium deficiency or toxicity; various methods of selenium supplementation; and recommendations for selenium management in Georgia. This publication is int…
- Soil and Fertilizer Management Considerations for Forage Systems in Georgia (B 1346) Georgia possesses diverse soil conditions and many forage production factors are influenced by this diversity. As a result, the soil environment of a given site must be considered when selecting forage species, determining fertilization strategies and planning forage utilization systems. This article guides forage producers through the process of exploring their soil's characteristics and sampling…
- Soil Inoculants (C 990) Soil inoculants are used for a variety of reasons. In some cases, we add soil organisms that have a known beneficial effect. A symbiotic relationship is one that is mutually beneficial. In return for the plant feeding the rhizobia carbon from photosynthesis and giving it a home, the bacteria can “fix” atmospheric nitrogen into a form that the plant can use.
- Soil Preparation and Planting Procedures for Ornamental Plants in the Landscape (B 932) Proper planting is essential for healthy, vigorous growth of ornamental plants in the landscape. It assures rapid plant establishment by providing a favorable environment for the developing root system. This publication offers step-by-step guidelines that will help you achieve planting success.
- Soil Salinity Testing, Data Interpretation and Recommendations (C 1019) The University of Georgia Agricultural and Environmental Services Laboratories offer soil salinity testing to help farmers and the general public diagnose and manage problems associated with soil salinity. By definition, a saline soil contains excess soluble salts that reduce the growth of most crops or ornamental plants. This publication discusses soil salinity testing, data interpretation and re…
- Soil Sampling for Precision Management of Crop Production (B 1208) While site-specific soil sampling can improve field management, it must be accompanied by the conscientious collection and analysis of data. The new technologies that have elevated precision agriculture into the forefront of farm management cannot offset poor data collection and soil-testing techniques. Inaccurate data on soil properties will inevitably lead to improper management decisions. This…
- Soil Test Handbook for Georgia (SB 62) This handbook is designed to serve as a reference guide for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension personnel and others regarding Georgia's lime and fertilizer recommendations and to provide basic information pertinent to the soil testing program.
- Soil Testing: Soil pH and Salt Concentration (C 875) Soil pH is one of the most important measurements of soil fertility. Knowing a soil's pH may help in diagnosing nutritional problems of agricultural crops and other plants.