I raised this question in the biology subreddit but then after saw there was a subreddit just for soil science. Any advice is appreciated!

The debacle of the personality driven war that's closed the straight of hormuz has escalated the price of fertilizer. What's the carbon balance between increasing plant growth and utilising fossil fuels?

I need to write a research paper on any soil topic.... anyone have any good or interesting ideas for topics??

Got my soil tests back and i am high on many. I would love some advice to get optimal soil for my raised garden beds! Soil data below.

Can someone explain how to identify the clay films? Have been a little difficult to figure out what is a clay film and what not. Very confusing, if someone have a picture or a tip to know what is a clay film will be really appreciate thanks!
Edit: so today I was in the field and can took this picture, of a possible clay film is this correct?

Processing img vf8nv1nlyowh1...

how to lower ph soil temporarily/short term?

i’m growing ixora(santan) which apparently needs slightly acidic soil (5.5-6.5 ph). i already repotted it but the soil is neutral.

I bought elemental sulfur and ammonium sulfate already, and will work on a separate soil once I get them delivered. I know it takes months before it actually acidifies the soil, so what do i do for the mean time so my ixora is getting the right conditions?

Bishop Cap soil Mix
🌵 1-Gallon Soil Mix (16 Cups Total)

🪨 Inorganic (60% = 9.5–10 cups total)
• 8 cups pumice
• 4 cups lava rock OR crushed granite (¼” size)

👉 That gives you 12 cups mineral total (a slightly more mineral-heavy mix, which Bishop’s Cap loves).

🌱 Organic (40% = 6 cups total)
• 5 cups sifted cactus soil or potting soil
• 1 cup worm castings (optional but recommended)

⚖️** If You Want It Slightly Leaner (More Habitat Style**)
• 10 cups pumice
• 3 cups crushed limestone or granite
• 3 cups sifted cactus soil

Hi everyone!

I'm currently working on my master's research project, investigating different methods to prevent and control algae growth in greenhouse-grown bryophytes (Sphagnum mosses and brown mosses). My goal is to find treatments that inhibit algae growth without negatively affecting moss growth.

So far, I'm considering the following approaches:

1. Prevention – Substrate acidification: Lowering peat substrate pH using hydrochloric acid (HCl) or citric acid.
2. Prevention – Irrigation water acidification: Using citric acid to maintain a lower pH through regular watering, as I'm concerned about potential chloride accumulation and toxicity from repeated HCl applications. But is citric acid stable enough?
3. Prevention – Air circulation: Using fans to reduce conditions favorable to algae establishment, while avoiding excessive drying of the mosses.
4. Control – Established algae: Testing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) or Aqua Bacta treatments to reduce existing algae growth.

My main question is: Which acid would you recommend for lowering and maintaining the pH of peat substrates and irrigation water without harming bryophytes or introducing unwanted chemical effects? (I can't have phosphorus or nitrogen). I'm particularly interested in the potential toxicity, stability, and long-term effects of HCl versus citric acid, but I'm open to other suggestions.

Any advice, scientific references, or experience with similar applications would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone. I’m reaching my final undergrad year at Montana State University. I’m currently in general environmental science (B.S) but I’m really loving all of the soil classes I’ve taken surrounding soil identification and remediation. I don’t have the craziest GPA (3.5) but I think that this is a field I’m really passionate about. How have other people gone about pursuing a masters regarding soil science? And how do you figure out where you want to go?

I've never seen a sieve analysis be such a straight line.

Been about 30 minutes.

Hello everyone, I need some help with this article; could you help me get it, please?

Title: Relevance of cross talk between root exudates, hormones, and root-associated microbes in developing sustainable phytoremediation strategies: a comprehensive review

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-025-01593-3

I have very sandy soil and it is very compacted after the 2 inches of sod. To give you an idea after 2 days of raining (1.5 inches) and sprinklers spraying another inch) I can only push a soil core or screwdriver 3 inches into the soil. The compacted soil is very hard like rock/concrete once you get past the sod layer.
I have heavily aerated 3 inch plugs 2 times a year for 3 years now and it isn’t helping break it up. I can’t get my roots to grow deep because of this. I have even done some minor horizontal air spading/fracking in the bad areas.

Is there anything else I can be doing to break this rock hard sand layer up?