Download Fertilizers - Effingham County Schools

FERTILIZERS
AG-GH/PS-7
What is the importance of proper
fertilization of plants?
How are plants fertilized?
• Soil
• Air
• Leaching
• Chemical Reactions
How are fertilizers broken down in the
soil?
How do plants take up nutrients after they
have been broken down in the soil?
• Absorbed by the root system with moisture
How can some nutrients be leached out of
the soil?
• Leaching – downward pull of materials through the soil by
percolating water
How can soil hold nutrients in the soil for
long periods of time?
• Chemical reactions – chemicals are “tied up” and are
readily available
Fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer
• A fertilizer must contain all three of the primary elements
• Can also contain some of the micronutrients
• An incomplete fertilizer will be lacking in one or more of
these elements
Types of Fertilizers
• Liquid
• Granular
• Gaseous
**Liquid and granular are the most commonly
used**
Organic Fertilizers
• Animal manure
• Plant residue
• Decaying plants, leaves, bark, fruit, etc.
• Combination of all composted materials
Animal Manure
Manure Type
Dry Matter
Feedlot Manure
Broiler Litter
62
77
Lagoon Effluent
Lagoon Sludge
Dairy Slurry
0.5
7
3
Total N
P2O5 K2O
lbs./ton
24
21
25
63
61
50
lbs./1000gal
4.2
1.0
5.0
15
16
11
13
11
11
Compost
Inorganic fertilizers
• Synthetic nutrient compounds that are derived from
mineral salts
Soil Test
There are three steps involved in obtaining a soil
test:
1) obtain sample bags and instructions,
2) collect composite samples,
3) select the proper test, and complete the
information sheet and mail to the Soil, Water, and
Forage Testing Laboratory
Soil Test
• Tools used to collect samples
• Trowel
• Spade
• Auger or Tube
Soil Test
• Sample needs to be at least 6 inches deep
• For a field up to 40 acres, collect at least 10 to 15 cores or
slices of soil
• In small gardens, 5-6 cores should be collected
• Samples should be taken to the county extension office
Soil Test
Soil Test
• Lime requirement
• Determines the amount of lime needed to raise the soil pH to a
desired level
• Mainly required when pH is less than 5.2 (very acidic) or less than
6 (acidic) where alfalfa and other legumes are grown.
1. What are three devices that can be used to take a soil sample?
a.
b.
c.
2. What does ph indicate in a soil?
3. For a 50 pound bag of 5-10-15 fertilizer, what is the number of pounds of the following?
Phosphorous—
Potassium--Nitrogen--4. What is considered as the neutral ph on the ph scale?
5. Above the neutral ph (on the ph scale) is referred to as ____________________ and below
the neutral ph is referred to as _________________________.
6. To raise the ph of soil we would add _____________________.
7. What is the ph range that most plants grow best?
8. How many spots should soil be collected from and put into a container to make one soil
sample?
9. Where should the soil that we collect as a soil sample be taken so it can be sent to the state
soil lab for testing?
10. What does N-P-K written on a bag of fertilizer mean?
Activity
• Design a fertilizer bag
• Design must include:
• Name of fertilizer
• Application instructions
• Warning
• Micro/Macro nutrient composition
• Organic/Inorganic composition
• What plants should it be applied to?
• There should be no “white space” left on the page!