What are the big three nutrients plants
need?
What is it called when wind or
water carry away soil?
Erosion
Weathering
Dust bowl
Composition
None of the above
What do plants need to survive?
What is soil made of?
Organic matter
Sand, silt, clay
Weathered rocks
Inorganic matter
All of the above
What is often added to soil when it is
missing nutrients?
Which is the largest sized
weathered rock?
Sand
Clay
Silt
Organic Matter
Humus
Define evidence.
Silt has a silky texture.
What are the four layers of soil?
Farming practices were one of the causes
of the Dust Bowl.
Which soil types makes up the
eastern United States?
Grassland
Desert
Forest
Tropical grassland
Rainforest
Match the soil types with their
characteristics
Sand
Best for plants
Silt
sticky
Clay
Grainy
Organic Matter
Silky
Loam
Dead plants and animals
Is the nutrient cycle needed for healthy
soil and continued plant growth?
Yes, because it naturally replenished
organic matter and nutrients in the
soil.
No, because we can add fertilizers to fill
in the missing nutrients.
Nutrient cycle was broken in the Dust
Bowl…better to have the cycle…
What are the soil horizons? List in order
from top to bottom.
List advantages of using manufactured
fertilizers.
Organic Matter is one of the soil layers
List the types of consistence used to
describe soil.
List disadvantages of using organic
fertilizers.
Sticky, silky, and grainy all describe
Texture
Consistence
Color
Fertilizers
Organic Matter
What is located beneath parent material?
Which nutrient is most commonly
deficient (not enough of it)?
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Carbon
Dihydrogen Monoxide
‘A’ is the first horizon of soil.
Earthworms play an important role in
healthy soil and plant growth.
What is the cycle of nutrients?
A plant takes in nutrients from the soil
through its roots. The nutrients are
used to help the plant grow. When it
dies, it falls to the ground where it
decomposes and turns back into
nutrients to be used by another plant.
What is located in the ‘O’ horizon?
What is located in the parent material
layer?
Topsoil contains which of the
following?
Water
Sand, silt, and clay
Organic matter
Air
All of the above
What are nutrients?
Explain the four major soil layers
Top soil (horizon O-very top layer, and A) located at the top
and contains large amounts of organic matter/humus—
tends to be a small layer, less than 20 cm deep. Sub soil
(horizon B) located below top soil (horizon A), tends to
consist of clay, few nutrients, little organic matter.
Parent material (horizon C) consists of slightly broken
up bedrock, plants roots rarely penetrate this layer,
very little organic matter. Bedrock (horizon R) is hard
rock that lies beneath all soil layers.
What is the best type of soil for a
garden?
Humus
Sand
Silt
Clay
Loam
Which horizon is needed the most
for a healthy garden?
A
B
C
O
R
What is the consistence for desert soil?
Clay is good for growing.
How is soil made?
What is soil?
What is the difference between sand, silt
and clay?
Sand: grainy, loose, largest particles
Silt: silky, friable, medium sized particles
Clay: sticky, firm, smallest particles
Describe grassland soil.
Wet and dry seasons but smaller amounts
of rain. Large amounts of organic
matter and nutrients; good for
farming; soil is reddish brown, loose
consistence, and silky texture
Describe forest soil
hot and cold seasons, large amount of rain
to support much tree growth; good
farming soil; brown to reddish brown
soil color; loose consistence
What is texture?
What is organic matter?
What is composition?
What is the difference between evidence
and opinion?
What role does phosphorus play in plant
growth?
What is located in the ‘A’ horizon?
What term is used to describe the soil
ingredients or what it is made of?
How many soil layers are there?
What role does potassium play in helping
plants?
Potassium, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus are
all textures of soil
What is the hardest consistence?
The Dust Bowl occurred primarily in what
soil type?
When did the Dust Bowl occur?
What does nitrogen help with for plant
growth?
What is it called when plants grow in
water instead of soil?
Too much of one nutrient can be just as
bad as no nutrient for plants
What nutrient does a lightning strike make
available to plants?
Good Luck!