Title: Evaluate soil, substrates, and their components for container- and field-grown plants.
Course: Floriculture (18052-II) > Section: Applying Science to Plant Production

Evaluation should include

- individual substrate components, physical properties, and chemical properties
- substrate components
  - peat moss
  - coir
  - composted bark, wood aggregates
  - sand
  - silt
  - vermiculite
  - perlite
- substrate physical properties
  - porosity
  - container capacity (water-holding capacity)
  - air space
  - bulk density
- substrate chemical properties
  - carbon content relative to nitrogen
  - phosphorus
  - potassium
- combinations of substrate components (e.g., growing mixes or media)
- evaluation of soil structure, moisture holding capacity, drainage ability, pH, and fertility for selected container and/or field-grown floriculture crops
- analysis of possible soil amendments
- chemical supplements for the soil
- sterilization of field soils and substrates, using heat treatments, fumigation, and/or chemicals.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What are the advantages of using commercially prepared amendments?
- How do various amendments affect substrate pH?
- Why are some substrates better suited to certain crops than to others?
- What is the importance of using sterilized substrates?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using planting media mixes?
- What materials are used in soilless plant media mixes, and why are they used?
- What are the differences between organic and inorganic fertilizers?
- How does pH affect plant growth and development?
- How does poor drainage in soils affect plant growth and development; and what practices can one implement to improve drainage?