Re: Soil Mixture
- To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Soil Mixture
- From: P*@aol.com
- Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 23:21:42 EST
In a message dated 98-02-19 03:03:40 EST, you write:
<< Subj: Soil Mixture
Date: 98-02-19 03:03:40 EST
From: sdeans@pcug.org.au (Stewart Deans)
Sender: owner-pumpkins@mallorn.com
Reply-to: pumpkins@mallorn.com
To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
When calculating the percentage of organic material in soil is it worked out
by volume or weight. The normal method of buying mixed loam is by volume, so
many meters (yards) of this and so many of that. How would one convert from
volume to weight? Would you measure the density and convert it?
After the soil has been used for a few seasons the percentages will change,
how would one determine the percentages then and how dou you account for the
water?
I guess one method is to mix a sample in a bottle and see how the various
components settle out - but I don't expect the organics to settle out that
well.
Stewart
Canberra Aust
the nation's c >>
Stewart,
I believe soil organic matter would be represented by a weight fraction.
Take a sample, weigh it carefully, bring the sample up above 212 degrees to
drive off the water....reweigh and increase temperature above the burning
point of organic matter. The resulting ash residue will be the mineral
portion. 100gram dry sample.....95 gram burned sample = 5% organic matter.
This may be oversimplified, but maybe not. The only thing I can see screwing
this up would be if you burned the soil at too high a temp where mineral
components would be broken down, but I think that would be pretty darn hot.
pumkinguy@aol.com
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