Soils
Selected Readings and Content
- Soil and Plant Nutrition: A Gardener’s Perspective, by Lois Berg Stack, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
UMaine Extension Bulletins
- Applying Fertilizers on Your Home Gardens, Bulletin #2287
- Guidelines for Using Manure on Vegetable Gardens, Bulletin #2510
- Lead in the Soil, Bulletin #2281
- Soil Organic Matter, Bulletin #2288
- Testing Your Soil, Bulletin #2286
- Tips for Purchasing Soil for Gardens and Landscape Projects, Bulletin #2283
UMaine Extension Videos
- Garden Safety in Maine
- Putting the Garden to Bed
- Soil Testing at the University of Maine
- Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), Explained
Additional UMaine Resources
- Analytical Laboratory and Maine Soil Testing Service
- Characteristics of Common Natural Fertilizers
- Cover Crops and Green Manures
- Interpreting Soil Test Results for Gardens and Grounds, Bruce Hoskins, Assistant Scientist of Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine
- Recommended Organic Nutrient Sources for Home Gardens & Grounds (Excel), Bruce Hoskins, Assistant Scientist of Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine
- Selecting Fertilizers Based on Soil Test Results
- MOFGA fact sheets — Look for:
- Using Green Manures
- Natural Sources of Plant Nutrients
- An Organic Farmer’s Guide to the Interpretation of a Standard Soil Test from the University of Maine
Additional Resources
- Building Soils for Better Crops, SARE: A one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color. It provides step-by-step information on soil-improving practices as well as in-depth background — from what soil is to the importance of organic matter. Case studies of farmers from across the country provide inspiring examples of how soil – and whole farms — have been renewed through these techniques. A must-read for farmers, educators, and students alike. Free download available.
- Interactive soil map, UCDavis
- Measurement Conversion Chart and pH Preference Table (PDF), University of Maryland
- Organic Matter Management, University of Minnesota Extension
- Soil Biology Primer, Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Soil Health/Soil Quality, Explained
- Web Soil Survey, Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Soil Society of America
Master Gardener Volunteer Training
Core Competencies
At the end of these sessions you will be able to articulate and explain:
- The composition of soil
- The difference between soil texture and soil structure (effects of excessive tillage), the advantages and disadvantages of each soil texture (clay, silt, sand), the importance of organic matter in the soil.
- Soil fertility and pH
- The role and importance of soil pH
- The pH scale (acidic to basic, logarithmic)
- How pH adjustments are made in the soil
- Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and its relation to fertility
- Essential macronutrients and micronutrients needed for plant growth
- Soil testing and interpretation
- Don’t Guess, Soil Test! – The importance of soil testing.
- How to sample soil and complete the soil testing form properly
- How to interpret a soil test and its recommendations
- How to compare fertilizers
- Types of fertilizers and their relative attributes (synthetic & organic)
- How to interpret a fertilizer label
- How to select the appropriate fertilizer for a specific use
- How to select a substitute fertilizer, when the fertilizer recommended in your soil test results is not available at the store
- How and when to apply fertilizers to minimize environmental impact
- Cover cropping and organic soil amendments
- Reasons to use cover crops
- Appropriate cover crop for each reason
- Cover crops and when they are planted in Maine
- Organic amendments and how they affect soil
Practical Skills Gained and Strengthened
- How to sample soil and complete the soil testing form properly
- How to interpret a soil test and its recommendations
- How to interpret a fertilizer label
- How to select the appropriate fertilizer for a specific use
- How to select a substitute fertilizer
- How and when to apply fertilizers to minimize environmental impact