Title: Examine best management practices for improving soil health.
Course: Landscaping I (18054-I) > Section: Understanding the Importance of Soil and Plant Science in the Landscaping Industry

Examination should include

- the current state of the soil (e.g., organic matter, macronutrient, micronutrient availability)
- the planned use of the soil
- soil management practices (e.g., soil amendment, mulching, grassed waterways, buffer strips)
- soil amendment recommendations for nursery and landscape plants
  - soil analysis results (i.e., physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil)
  - consideration of plant type(s)
  - plant nutrient requirements
  - improving structure, drainage, and moisture retention
  - reducing compaction
  - improving aeration.

Teacher Resources:

- Agriculture Resources A-Z, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Soil CDE, FFA
- Turfgrass Science CDE, FFA

Process/Skill Questions:

- What is organic matter? What effect does it have on the physical and chemical properties of soil?
- What soil conservation practices can producers use to prevent soil degradation and build organic matter?
- What is the importance of soil drainage and water-holding capacity as it relates to plant growth and development?
- How can soil drainage and water-holding capacity be improved?
- What information is given in a soil analysis?
- How much area can be covered with a 50-pound bag of 26-5-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet?
- How many 50-pound bags of 26-5-10 will one need to fertilize a 30,000-square-foot lawn at 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet?
- What are the differences among chemical, physical, and biological properties of the soil?
- Why is knowledge of a plant species important when making nutrient recommendations?