Soil Testing (Not as Boring as it Sounds)
- Madison Campbell
- Jul 30, 2016
- 2 min read
Considering that plants spend the majority, if not all, of their lives in dirt it makes sense to believe that the type of soil it lives in would be important. Each plant is unique and prefers different amounts of water. A large contributor to the amount of water a plant receives has to do with the type of soil the plant is in.
The soil a plant is in determines how much water a plant will receive based on how the type of soil particles retain water. Large particles such as gravel or rock will not retain water because the water can easily run through the cracks. On the other hand, clay retains a lot of water because the particles are small and fine.
It is important for students to understand this concept in order to properly grow their plants. Some plants become bitter tasting with too much water and some become hard when they are dehydrated. Typically, soil would be boring to teach kids through a lecture. To catch their interest, FSC ENACTUS students will teach them through an experiment.
Similar to the experiment depicted above, students will learn about 3 soil types commonly used for agriculture: sand, clay, and humus. Not the hummus you eat; but humus, the perfect combination of sand, clay, and potting soil. They will be able to create similar models as seen above and watch as the water quickly runs through sand, slowly runs through clay, and how humus drains the water while retaining the proper amount to prevent dehydration and water-logging.
This fun and simple experiment will allow the students to see 'below ground'.
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