Garden Soil and Fertilizer

Determination of Carbonate Concentrations in Calcareous Soils with Common Vinegar Test

When raising crops on calcareous soils, growers need to know how much calcium carbonate is in the soil before they can employ any management practices. Growers can test the level of carbonate in their soils using store-bought vinegar and other household supplies. This 3-page fact sheet explains the chemistry behind the vinegar test and instructions for performing the test and interpreting the results. Written by Qiang Zhu, Monica Ozores-Hampton, and Yuncong Li, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, June 2015.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1262

Soil Preparation And Liming for Vegetable Gardens

Probably the most physical part of vegetable gardening is preparing the soil for planting. In large gardens, mechanical equipment, such as rototillers or tractor-drawn plows, often is necessary, and it may be practical to rent such equipment or hire someone. However, in smaller gardens, the task can be accomplished with a spade, spading fork, or shovel. Much depends on the type of roots and vegetation that must be removed.This 2-page fact sheet was written by James M. Stephens and Guodong Liu, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, June 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh024

Soil pH and the Home Landscape or Garden (SL256/SS480)

Homeowners and gardeners alike are interested in soil pH because soil pH directly affects the growth and quality of many landscape plants by influencing the chemical form of many elements in the soil and soil microbial processes. This 3-page fact sheet explains soil pH and provides strategies for Master Gardeners and homeowners to make the most of the pH in the home landscape or garden. Written by Amy L. Shober, Christine Wiese, and Geoffrey C. Denny, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, May 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss480

SL322/SS534 Preplant Soil Assessment for New Residential Landscapes in Florida

SL322, a 5-page illustrated fact sheet by Amy L. Shober and Christine Wiese, advocates performing an assessment of soil conditions before landscape installation, and outlines the issues that may be identified through such an assessment. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, June 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss534

SL 318/SS530 Identifying Nutrient Deficiencies in Ornamental Plants

SL318, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Amy L. Shober and Geoffrey C. Denny, provides guidance for the visual diagnosis of major nutrient deficiency symptoms in ornamental plants. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, March 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss530

SL281/SS494 Soil Sampling and testing for the Home Landscape or Vegetable Garden

SL-281, a 6-page illustrated fact sheet by Amy L. Shober, and Rao S. Mylavarapu, provides information for homeowners about taking a soil sample and submit it for testing and how to understand the soil test report. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, March 2009.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/SS494

SL268/MG451 Soils and Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: Soil Physical Properties

Figure 2. Common types of soil structure.
SL268, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Amy L. Shober, is part of the Florida Master Gardener Handbook. It describes some of the basic physical properties of soil. Includes reference. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, October 2008.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG451

SL 262/MG447 Soils and Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: Tackling Soil Salinity Problems in the Home Landscape

SL-262, a 3-page fact sheet by Amy L. Shober, provides information about diagnosing and dealing with salinity problems in the home landscape or garden. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Sciences, July 2008.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG447

SL 260/MG445 Soils and Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: The Soil Profile and Soil Classification

SL-260, a 3-page illustrated fact sheet by Amy L. Shober, provides information about the characteristics and classification of soils as found in the landscape under natural conditions. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, June 2008.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG445

SL 261/MG446 Soils and Fertilizers for Master Gardeners: Phosphorus in the Home Landscape

SL-261, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Amy L. Shober, explains the P cycle and helps homeowners understand how phosphorus behaves in the environment. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Sciences, July 2008.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG446