September 2023

Plant Science September 2023

soils unit

Pictured below are soil samples collected from around the Agricultural Science building. I chose to elevate the learning and go slightly beyond the learning the learning objectives to include a question of: how do maintenance practices impact soil texture?

Each container is labeled to give students an indication of how much maintenance is performed on that soil's vegetation. Students performed a soil ribbon test on all five samples to determine the texture (sand, silt, clay components). We will be discussing in class how, or if, maintenance impacted soil texture results students observed. 

Understanding soil texture is important for optimizing plant growth and production. Knowing the skill of ribbon testing is a simple very hands-on filed test with reliability. Students learned how to perform this ribbon test and received feedback on technique. What type of soil do you have at home and is it an optimal match for the plant material? Ask a student to assist!