AHCSOL303 Assignment 3- soil amelioration report
1.i have a soil that does not absorb water, and when i water it the water pools on the surface and does not infiltrate. What is wrong with my soil?
The soil could either be hydrophobic or heavily compacted. Hydrophobic soil is where the surface tension does not allow for infiltration of water because of a waxy layer, which cause the water to form into little beads and can form a pool on the surface. Heavily compacted soil is soil that has been compacted and has little to no space between the pores of the soil which does not allow for capillary action.
2.My soil absorbs water readily but it dries out really quickly. My plants often wilt in summer even though i water regularly. Why is this and what can i do to stop it? …show more content…
This soil type has a high drainage rate compared to other soil types. The high amount of sand content means that there is a lack of nutrients in the soil due to sand not being negatively charged compared to clay like soils and no mulch to stop evaporation on hot days. To fix this i would add organic matter (eg. gypsum or compost) to the soil to help nutrients and also add mulch to stop the evaporation. Add clay to the soil to help with nutrients because clay is negatively charged which attracts nutrients.
3.When it rains, my soil becomes waterlogged and many of my plants die or don't do well. What is happening? What do i need to do to fix it?
The soil may have poor drainage due to either a dense heavy clay or from compaction below the topsoil with no drainage implemented (eg. ag drain). To fix this i would install ag drain and incorporate sand or organic
1.i have a soil that does not absorb water, and when i water it the water pools on the surface and does not infiltrate. What is wrong with my soil?
The soil could either be hydrophobic or heavily compacted. Hydrophobic soil is where the surface tension does not allow for infiltration of water because of a waxy layer, which cause the water to form into little beads and can form a pool on the surface. Heavily compacted soil is soil that has been compacted and has little to no space between the pores of the soil which does not allow for capillary action.
2.My soil absorbs water readily but it dries out really quickly. My plants often wilt in summer even though i water regularly. Why is this and what can i do to stop it? …show more content…
This soil type has a high drainage rate compared to other soil types. The high amount of sand content means that there is a lack of nutrients in the soil due to sand not being negatively charged compared to clay like soils and no mulch to stop evaporation on hot days. To fix this i would add organic matter (eg. gypsum or compost) to the soil to help nutrients and also add mulch to stop the evaporation. Add clay to the soil to help with nutrients because clay is negatively charged which attracts nutrients.
3.When it rains, my soil becomes waterlogged and many of my plants die or don't do well. What is happening? What do i need to do to fix it?
The soil may have poor drainage due to either a dense heavy clay or from compaction below the topsoil with no drainage implemented (eg. ag drain). To fix this i would install ag drain and incorporate sand or organic