Soil - Justice Le Tran Alexander

 Soil Texture | Soils - Part 2: Physical Properties of Soil and Soil Water - passelOldest Pottery | The Smithsonian Institution's Human Origins Program

Soil Types

You know when I think of soil I don't necessarily think of a pyramid. However, the seemingly random mixes of soil we find in our natural environments have leveled classification systems on a federal and international level. This understanding is important to take into account especially for the aspiring horticulturalist or agriculturalist. One of the more applicable parts of Chapter 7 of Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility Manual spoke to the physical interpretation of this information. To the common eye the composition of soil might not matter all that much when figuring out which substrate to use for a simple perennial bought from the store but for commercial farmers and gardeners alike soil composition is an essential piece to ensuring a healthy and thriving community or population of plants. 

Tillage Practices

Tillage practices are not cut and dry. When preparing or testing soil for planting, irrigation, or a public works project it is important to take into account the type of soil you are using and what you are using it for. While the attributing name may be abstract in actuality, their definitions are key to the functioning of our societies. Going as far back to the first clay pots which arose some ~20,000 years ago humans have developed an integrated cultural knowledge of soil types even without the physiochemical knowledge we now have to categorize soil types. This expands upon itself regarding how one should till their soil as this largely depends on how much water the soil takes up, drought proneness, restorability, and aeration qualities.

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