Soil Types
This soil type has large particles, drains quickly, and warms up fast in spring.
What is Sandy Soil.
This cultivation practice involves turning over soil before planting.
What is ploughing.
Drainage systems are installed to remove excess amounts of this from the soil.
What is water.
This soil property describes the size of particles within the soil.
What is soil texture.
This living component of soil helps decompose organic matter into nutrients plants can use.
What are soil organisms.
This soil type has very small particles, holds water well, but can become waterlogged.
What is Clay Soil.
Farmers often cultivate soil to help control these unwanted plants.
What are weeds.
Poor drainage often reduces the amount of this gas available to plant roots and soil organisms.
What is Oxygen.
This property refers to the arrangement of soil particles into aggregates or clumps.
What is soil structure.
This concept recognises the life force and vitality present in soil, plants, animals, and people.
What is Mauri.
This soil type is considered ideal for many crops because it contains a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay.
What is a loam soil.
Excessive cultivation can lead to the loss of this valuable topsoil material.
What is organic matter.
Surface channels designed to move water away from paddocks are called these.
What are ditches or surface drains.
A soil with many pore spaces generally has good movement of air and this substance.
What is water.
The movement of soil by wind or water is known as this.
What is Erosion.
The particle size of this soil type falls between sand and clay.
What is Silt
This farming practice reduces cultivation and helps protect soil structure.
What is minimum tillage (or direct drilling).
One sign of poor drainage is puddles remaining in a paddock long after this event.
What is rain.
This soil property affects how acidic or alkaline a soil is.
What is pH.
This Māori concept refers to guardianship and responsible management of natural resources.
What is Kaitiakitanga.
Farmers may add what to soil to increase its water retaining capacity.
What is Organic Matter.
Cultivation can increase the amount of this gas released from soil organic matter.
What is Carbon Dioxide.
Well drained soils allow seeds to do this earlier in the growing season than undrained soils.
What is seed germination.
The chemicals that make up the 3 main macro-nutrients in a soil.
What are N, P, K. Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.
Compaction reduces the number of these spaces between soil particles.
What are pore spaces.