Question

How will you identify Good quality soil

Answer 1

Testing soil quality
When measuring soil quality, we should evaluate the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. Physical properties include texture, water content, infiltration rate, aggregate stability, slaking, and morphological estimations. Biological properties include soil respiration and earthworms. Chemical properties include pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and soil nitrate levels. You can test different properties of soil. Here are some simple tests:

Texture
Fill one third of a jar with the sample soil. Add one-third volume with water. Shake the jar vigorously and let it settle overnight. The coarse sand particles will settle first followed by the silt and then the clay.

Moisten some soil or take some moist soil in your hand. Squeeze it and then open your hand. If the soil holds together (that is, forms a cast) then it has a higher percentage of clay.

Moisture
In your garden, identify areas where water tends to accumulate and where it tends to drain rapidly. Compare plant growth in different areas. Thick lush growth indicates high moisture while sparse growth indicates less moisture in the soil.

Humus
Take a sample of soil that is at least I foot deep from the surface. Check its colour. If it is dark then it has humus, which means it is fertile. If it is light in colour, then it is not that fertile.

Fertility
A simple test is to check the soil for texture and for humus. The more humus and clay there is, the more fertile the soil.

You can also conduct chemical tests to determine pH levels and soil quality.

After you get the results, suggest what type of plants are best suited for the soil and what kind of slope, watering system will it need.

Answer 2

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/project_ideas/soil_quality/