8 Sep 2022

Urban Farming Professional Course

Technical Skills & Competency (TSC):
Plant Health Management and Disease Control - LNS-GNM-2014-1.1
Soil and Media Assessment and Remediation - LNS-GNM-3017-1.1
Landscape Irrigation Management - LNS-GNM-2013-1.1
Skyrise Greenery Maintenance - LNS-GNM-2022-1.1

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learning

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LU3: Manage Soil and Media
Learning Outcome (LO)
LO1: Recognise
Characteristics of soil and
media
LO2: Test and develop plans
to maintain soil and media
quality.
LO3: Implement media
management plan to ensure
optimal growing conditions
LO4: Record and monitor
amelioration activities for
compliance and reporting
8 Sep 2022
Abilities (A)/ Knowledge (K)
• SMAR K1 - Physical characteristics, properties and nutritional requirements of different kinds
of soil and media
• SGM K4 - Characteristics and composition of growing media used in skyrise greenery
• SMAR A1 - Guide sample collection and in-field testing of soil
• SMAR K2 - Soil and media sampling techniques, testing methods and organisational procedures
• SMAR A2 - Interpret soil testing results to determine characteristics of the soil
• SMAR A4 - Develop plans to maintain soil and/or media quality
• SMAR K3 - Methods to ameliorate nutritional deficiency, toxicity problems and soil structure
• SMAR K4 - Methods to apply chemicals and other additives to soil
• SMAR K5 - Manipulation of components to modify soil and media properties
• SMAR A3 - Implement soil and/or media management plan for a site or for growing specific
plant species
• SGM K7 - Operation of hydroponic systems
• SGM A6 - Replenish media and substrate to ensure optimal growing conditions for plants in
skyrise greenery
• SMAR A5 - Monitor soil and/or media production, management and amelioration activities
• SMAR A6 - Record all soil and media amelioration activities for compliance and reporting
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LO1: Recognise Characteristics of soil and media

Soil and Media

Common Media used in Urban Farms

Types of Media

Soil
Alternative soil/ media
Water

Citiponics

Funan urban farm

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Composition and layers of soil

• What is soil?
It is an ecosystem, that is comprised on several
factors that affect it and shape it.

Biotic and Abiotic factors.

Biotic: Living components
Abiotic: Non-living components.

Soil is essentially a thin layer of earth’s crust that is

made up of mostly inorganic mineral material (45%),
organic material (5%), air (25%) and water (25%).

Fungi, micro organisms and other smaller organisms

like earthworms and insects inhabit it and shape its
texture and nutrient content.

Different Types of soil

• Where does soil come from then?

Inorganic soil: Weathered rock

Erosion, Volcanic activity. Different minerals result in different pH soil

levels.

E.g Aluminium creates acidic conditions. Minerals with magnesium and

iron form basic conditions.

Clay, silt and sand

Largest: Sand (0.02 mm to 2 mm diameter)
Silt (0.002 mm to 0.02mm diameter)
Smallest: Clay (less than 0.002 mm diameter)

Organic matter: Dung, decaying material and leaf litter

Nutrients: Derived from the organic matter
Air and Water: Environment

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Different Types of soil

• Soil Biology
A single teaspoon of soil may contain millions of micro-
organisms, fungi, algae, protozoa, microscopic soil
nematodes and worms.

Worms are some of the most important

organisms:
Cycle nutrients decaying matter into upper soil layers
Aerate soil structure

Ants create deep tunnels into soil structure:

Bring food materials into deeper tunnels
Bring seeds into the deep ground
Aerate the soil structure

Rhizobia in the root nodules help to fix nitrogen:

Why trees in the amazon are huge!

The interactions between soil organisms and plant roots

are crucial!

Different Types of soil

Soil Texture
• What is in soil?

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Different Types of soil

• What is in soil?
Clay
Inorganic minerals that are sized less than
0.002mm in diameter

Clayey soil tends to have the largest

number of small pores that fill up with
water and air. They tend to fill up more
with water than air.

However, some of that water is

unavailable for root uptake.

Clay particle surfaces predominantly have

a negative charge attached to them.

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Different Types of soil

• What is in soil?
Silt
Inorganic material that are sized 0.002 to
0.02 mm in diameter.

Has a size that is in between clay and

sand.

Feels smooth and silky, balls formed can

be easily deformed.

Silty loams hold the most amount of

water available for plant usage.

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Different Types of soil

• What is in soil?
Sand
Inorganic mineral that is 0.02 mm to 2
mm in diameter.

Largest size of mineral between the 3

minerals.

Greatest number of large pores that tend

to be filled up with air as compared to
water.

Aids in the drainage of water.

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Different Types of soil

• Components
What are the components?
Cocopeat
Compost
Perlite
Vermiculite
Peat
Charcoal
Pine Bark Cocopeat- Coconut fibre
Pine chips Lightweight
Hardy, does not easily disintegrate
LECA
Resistant to biochemical and fungal attack
Sphagnum moss Great oxygenation properties
Uniform in texture
Nutrient leeching more easily affected by rain

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Different Types of soil

Compost- Digested organic material

High organic content
Nutrients can used by plants
Slow-release nutrients
Water holding capacity
Relatively neutral pH

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Different Types of soil

Perlite- Mined volcanic glass

Lightweight
Inert
Good source of water drainage
Soil ventilation
Resist compaction
Promotes root formation

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Different Types of soil

Vermiculite- Mineral based

Lightweight
Hardy, does not easily disintegrate
Retains water in microstructure
Sterile
Highly absorbent to water and fertilizer
Neutral pH

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Peat Moss- Peat Bogs

Lightweight
Inert
Promotes sufficient drainage
Retains quality amount of moisture
Used mainly in seedling growth

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Different Types of soil

Charcoal/Biochar- Organic material

Pyrolysis- Combustion with low oxygen
Carbon sink
Black
Highly porous
Composition varied on the type of feedstock
Finely grained
Large surface area

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Different Types of soil

Pine bark chips/ Pine chips

Often used as mulch
Retains soil moisture
Reduces evaporation
Controls weed and fungi growth
Lightweight
Hardy

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Different Types of soil

LECA- Baked Clay

Lightweight expanded clay aggregate
Lightweight
Devoid of nutrients
Porous

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Different Types of soil

Sphagnum moss- Harvested and dried

High water holding capacity
Acidic
Provides aeration
Antibacterial activity

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Different Types of soil

Soil Texture Triangle

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Characteristics of different growing media

Types of growing media

Soil
Alternative soil/media
Water

Characteristics
Texture- Relative proportions of clay silt and sand
determine soil’s texture

Structure- Soil aggregates of clay, silt, sand and

organic matter

Porosity- Not mineral or organic, based on the

texture of the soil or media. Pore size affects the

Temperature- Heat capacity of the soil/media, water

has a higher heat capacity than that of soil

Colour- Colour of the soil/media/material depends on

the organic material and the minerals in the
soil/media. This affects the reflectance of heat and
temperature

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How soil/media affect plant growth

• How do plants use soil?

Structure
The roots of plants spread wide and deep
into the soil or media

Structural strength for the plant/tree to

develop tall

Prevention of strong winds to uproot

plant/trees

Strong base to withstand weight of fruits

produced

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How plants roots interact with soil/media particles

i. water uptake

• Root and soil/media interaction

Nutrient and water uptake

Plants require soil for the uptake of soil water and minerals
necessary for growth

Root hair are essential for the uptake of water and

nutrients as they increase the surface area of the root.

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composition of media used to in skyrise greenery and urban farms

Considerations for urban farms

Rooftop
Weight capacity 2.5 kN/m2
Weight of media/soil
Presence of roofing

Multi storey carpark

Funan urban farm

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optimal media conditions to support crop growth

Optimal media conditions

Water- Soil moisture 30-50%
Dependent on media type. Alternative soil cocopeat- 45-55%

Electroconductivity- EC 2.5- 3.5

Fertilizer in the irrigation

pH- 5.5 to 6.5

Measure of how acidic/basic- Most crops prefer slightly acidic conditions

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LO2: Test and develop plans to maintain soil and media quality.

Soil and Media Testing

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i. Importance of Soil and Media testing

Importance of soil and media testing

1) Plant health
Death of plants
Drying out of plants

2) Plant yields
Low yields
Mismatch of soil/media to correct plant type

3) Fertilizer utilization
Proper fertilizer utilization
Cost savings

4) Soil/Media remediation
Knowledge on how to remediate the soil/media
Avoid soil degradation

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ii. Methods of Soil and Media Testing

Methods of soil testing

3 different methods of soil testing
1) 1:2 dilution method
2) Saturated media extract (SME)
3) Leachate Pour-Through

Parameters
Electro conductivity (EC)
pH

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iii. Conducting in field soil testing

1:2 dilution method

Test using an air-dried sample of soil

Soil and water are mixed is the ratio:
( 1 part soil : 2 parts water )
E.g 30ml soil and 60ml water

Liquid extract is separated from the solids with a

laboratory grade filter paper

The extract is then ready for analysis

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iii. Conducting in field soil testing

Saturated media extract (SME)

A paste is made using soil and water

The extract is separated from the solids for pH,
soluble salt and nutrient analysis

Special skills and laboratory equipment is necessary for

this test to be performed.

Not suitable for grower unless operation is sufficiently

large to support a lab and trained personnel for
analysis and testing.

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iii. Conducting in field soil testing

Leachate Pour-Through
Leachate is collected from container grown plants
using the Pour-Through method

Plants do not have to be sacrificed or disturbed for

testing as the extract is the collected during irrigation

Leachate is used to analyse pH and EC via the

use of sensor pens.

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iii. Conducting in field soil testing

Sampling for 1:2 and SME

1) Select the crop units to be sampled ( Good to sample from
both healthy and abnormal plants)
2) Take several samples of soil at the root depth from different
pots
3) Mix the soil samples to get a well distributed sample.
One pot may have extreme results that does not reflect the population

4) Remove slow-release fertilizer if present

5) Take one cup of the soil mixture and dry it at room
temperature
6) Identify each sample on the outside of the bag for the
laboratory

Label the outside of the bag clearly with your Name, Address
and your ID for the sample.You may require more information
based on the testing facility.

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iv. Interpreting the test results

pH
Low pH levels is the more common issue faced by pH
farmers Soiless media 5.5 – 6.0
Nutrients like Magnesium and Calcium may be Media with 20% or more field soil 6.2 – 6.5
deficient.

Electro conductivity (EC) Normal range

A measure of soluble salts that gives a general ( mS/cm)
indication of nutrient deficiency or excess
Seedlings and young transplants 0.7 – 1.0

High EC may results in root injury, leaf chlorosis, Soilless growth media 1.5 – 3.0
marginal burn and wilting. Media with 20% or more field soil 0.8 – 1.5

Low EC will result in reduced growth rates and will

require increase fertilization

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iv. Interpreting the test results

Low pH
Low pH may be increased to optimal levels with the Soil type Soil pH Target pH Requested
utilization of agricultural lime, also known as calcium Lime Kg/Ha
carbonate.
Sandy Loam 5 6 2520
Lime should always be added before transplanting is
complete. It is hard to raise the pH without damaging the
plants.
Loam 5 6 3528

Alternatively, liquid lime may be introduced to the grow

beds via drip irrigation.
Heavy Clay 5 6 4031

Different soil types may also require for different amounts

of lime.

Electro conductivity (EC)

Low EC- Increase the dosage of fertilizers
High EC- Decrease the dosage of fertilizers

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v. Common methods to maintain soil/media

Soil/Media management

The goal of soil management is to create a healthy

environment for plants to thrive in.

It involves understanding of the needs of our plants-

Water, nutrients, oxygen and a physical medium for our
plants to take root and to grow.

The ability of plants to grow is affected by the medium

which involves concepts such as- Soil texture, organic
matter and soil conservation.

Soil/Media management requires the testing of the soil

and implementing a management plan that will help to
remediate the soil/media back into a healthy
environment for plants.

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vi. Reading the soil triangle

Steps
1) Establish the different ratio of Clay Silt and
Sand in % weight
2) Example: 20% Clay, 40% Silt, 40% Sand
3) Start with any of the three. We shall start
with Clay.

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vi. Reading the soil triangle

Example: 20% Clay, 40% Silt, 40% Sand

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vi. Reading the soil triangle

Example: 20% Clay, 40% Silt, 40% Sand

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vi. Reading the soil triangle

Example: 20% Clay, 40% Silt, 40% Sand

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vi. Reading the soil triangle

Example: 20% Clay, 40% Silt, 40% Sand

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vi. Reading the soil triangle

Result: Loam

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vi. Reading the soil triangle

• Activity Time!
Establish these soil textures!

1) Clay:Silt:Sand
10:70:20

2) Clay:Silt:Sand
40:40:20

3) Clay:Silt:Sand
30:20:50

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vii. Determining plans to maintain soil/media quality

Determining plans to maintain soil/media quality

1) Set a schedule to test and check parameters (
daily/weekly/monthly)

2) Check the range of values from the check against optimal

levels
3) If there is a difference between the optimal and test levels,
activate an action plan to remediate the soil
4) Once the action plan has been carried out, recheck the
parameters and observe the new test results
5) If the test result parameters are within the optimal, there
will be no further action.
6) If the test result parameters are not in the optimal range,
continue the action plan until they are optimal.

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LO3: Implement media management plan to ensure optimal growing conditions.

Common Soil/Media Issues

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i. Types of nutritional deficiency

Types of nutritional deficiency pH scale for plant nutrient availability

Fertilizer nutritional deficiency

Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium,
Magnesium, Sulfur, Iron, Copper, Boron, Chlorine,
Manganese, Zinc and Molybdenum

Causes
Soil type
pH
Imbalance of fertilizer application
Root nematodes

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ii. Toxicity Issues

Soil Toxicity
Chemical contaminants could potentially be absorbed into
the soil/media and be taken up by plants.
When ingested by humans, it may lead to various ailments
that range from vomiting, gastrointestinal problems, blindness
and even death in some cases.

Toxic materials
Unregulated pesticides, Heavy metals (Lead, Arsenic,
Cadmium, Chromium, Zinc, Copper, Mercury, Nickel, Lithium)

Sources
Pesticides, Previous land usage, Dumping, War activities,
Unregulated/Illegal fertilizer with toxic materials

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iii. Structure

Structure
Soil structure and media can deteriorate over time
due to land usage, agriculture, overgrazing and
unsustainable farming.

Common soil/media structural issues

Seedlings unable to take root due to soil structure
(Clayey conditions)
Seedling death due to waterlogged conditions
(Media conditions)
Insufficient nutrients and water available to plants
(Sandy conditions)
Increased runoff
Soil compaction due to human traffic and
automation
Slower plant growth Unhealthy soil Healthy soil

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iv. Methods of component manipulation in soil and media properties

Methods for Soil manipulation

Tillage
Conventional method to loosen the soil and to introduce aeration into the plot while
reducing weeds, pests by exposing them to the elements.
Digging, stirring and overturning of the soil components –
1) To break up compaction and to aerate the soil (plowing)
2) To introduce fertilizer, manure, compost, lime and fertilizer (plowing and disking)
Plow
3) To create seedbeds (disking),
4) To kill weeds and to break up soil surface crusts (cultivation)

Conservation tillage
Minimal tillage that reduces soil erosion, associated air pollution and pollution, decreased fuel
costs, production costs and machinery related soil compaction.
30% of the plants are left on the soil surface after tillage. Crops left on the surface promotes
biological activity, increased water holding capacity and increased organic matter
Protects the soil from- 1) Wind erosion, 2) Soil erosion by water

No – tillage
Soil is left undisturbed from harvest to planting.Weeds are mainly controlled via herbicides.
Disking

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iv. Methods of component manipulation in soil and media properties

Methods- Media and Hydroponics

Media
Manual rotation of media in improvised growbed/pots that
contain soil alternatives such as cocopeat, perlite,
compost, vermiculite, charcoal.
This helps to prevent compaction of the media due to
irrigation or the rain. It also helps to redistribute
nutrients, air and water content throughout the media.

Water
In hydroponic systems, clear all unwanted debris from the
setup after each growing cycle to prevent the build up of
bacteria and algae.
Add a 3% peroxide solution to the system and cycle it to Cocopeat
sterilize the water from bacteria and algae. (5ml of 3%
peroxide for every 1L of water)

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Implementing soil/media management

i. Plant Requirements

Site requirements EC Normal range

(mS/cm)
Location details and weight capacity
Certain areas like rooftops may not be able to hold heavy loads Seedlings and young transplants 0.7 – 1.0
of farming equipment and soil/media. The right materials should
be selected for the location Soilless growth media 1.5 – 3.0
Media with 20% or more field soil 0.8 – 1.5
Plant requirements pH
Electro conductivity (EC) Soiless media 5.5 – 6.0
pH Media with 20% or more field soil 6.2 – 6.5
Soil Moisture levels
Soil type to specific plant type Soil Moisture %
Soiless media 45 – 55
Media with 20% or more field soil 15 – 25

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Implementing soil/media management

ii Site Requirements

Case study
Implementation of soil management plan at a site of choice. Class will be
split up into groups of 2-3 for this case study.
Instructions
Groups will be given some information about the site and they will be
required to research on the best type of conditions to create for the plants

Information given
1) Plant type to grow
2) Location details
3) Planter type

Decisions to be researched and made

1) Type of soil/media based on plant type and site requirements
2) Depth and planting distance of plants
3) Roofing requirement if necessary
4) Soil management plans

Prepare reasonings and rationale for each of the following points

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Implementing soil/media management

ii Site Requirements

Case study example

Information given
1) Plant type to grow- Small herbs
2) Location details- Rooftop
3) Planter type- Growboxes

Decisions to be researched and made

1) Type of soil/media based on plant type and site
requirements- Soilless cocopeat with perlite and
compost
2) Depth and planting distance of plants- 20-30cm
planting depth and 10cm between plants
3) Roofing requirement if necessary- Roof to be added (
Alternative soil can be easily leeched and herbs
are also easy to bruise )
4) Soil management plans ( EC - 2.5EC, pH 5.5- 6.5, Soil
Moisture 45 -50%, Soil type to reflect Loamy,
Manual rotation of media after each harvest)

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Replenishing media and substrate in skyrise greenery/urban farms to ensure optimal growth

Replenishing media
Soil/Media will be affected by several factors which will
cause its depletion and compaction over time.
Wind
Dried out soil/media may be carried off by the wind
resulting in erosion of the media
Rain
If the planting area is exposed to rain, heavy rains could
potentially wash out media/substrate out by the action of
the water droplets splashing or via ponding/flooding of the
area
Harvesting of produce if appliable
Each harvest of produce will remove some of the soil/media
with the removal of roots and plant parts, depleting the
soil/media with repeated harvests

To replenish the media, the depth of the soil/media should

be monitored and increased with identical soil/media to a
soil depth that is optimal for plant growth

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LO4: Record and monitor amelioration activities for compliance and reporting.

Record soil/media production, amelioration activities

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Record soil/media production, amelioration activities

Record-keeping system
1) Base map
This helps to make an inventory of your farm
soils/media and provide a space to record
management practices.

2) Inventory of problem areas to be addressed

3) Identification of Management practices

Practices that can be activated to improve soil
and an action plan to execute it.

4) A list of information sources Base map of farm area

To gain answers to questions that you may have.

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Record soil/media production, amelioration activities

Basemap
What information do we need in our base map?
1) Soil types
Draw boundaries of the different soil types, label
texture, slope and other important characteristics
like depth.
2) Terrain
Mark low spots and high points

3) Water flow
You may draw dotted areas to indicate the flow of
water throughout the farm area
4)Organic matter
Mark regions with high and low organic matter. In
an aerial map, regions with higher organic matter
will appear darker
Base map of farm area
5)Permanent structures
Warehouses, sheds and homes should be marked
out for clear reference.

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Record soil/media production, amelioration activities

Data to record
What information to record on the base map?
1) Soil structure problems
Crusting, Compaction, Soil difficult to work
with (Red)
2) Soil fertility problems
pH, EC, Nutrient deficiencies (Blue)
3) Water problems
Slow drainage, ponding after rain, poor
infiltration and high runoff, crops susceptible
to drought (Yellow)
4) Biology problems
Weed issues, Disease and pest infestations,
slow residue decomposition, signs of poor
biological activity (Green)
Base map of farm area
You may use any way or form to indicate the
locations with problems.

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Record soil/media production, amelioration activities

What’s next?
After gaining knowledge of the problems on the farm,
we need to clarify which steps to take next

1) Set goals
What do we want our soils to improve on?
2) Inventory
Which areas have the greatest concerns? Which
areas have poor crop performance? These areas
usually overlap. This record helps to observe changes
and improvements in the future.
3) Assessment
What are the effects of current soil management
practices?
4) Creating an action plan
What are the management alternatives? What
information is required to decide on how the
alternatives could address your problems and goals? Base map of farm area
5) Monitoring Progress
Observe the changes with the crop yields, quality and
water control. This is to find the link between soil
quality and management processes.

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Record soil/media production, amelioration activities

What to monitor

Management practices Soil characteristics Soil performance

Organic matter addition Compaction Productivity (Yield/sqm, yield/fertilizer
Tillage practices Crusting
Pesticide and fertilizer application pH
Residue coverage (%) EC
Length of time soil is bare each year Nutrient (soil test)
Crop rotation Cation exchange
Contaminants
Soil structure
Water infiltration
Water holding capacity
Drainage
Organic matter
Biological activity
inputs, yield/pesticide input,
yield/irrigation)
Insect, disease and weed pressures
(monitor pattern and severity)
Crop quality
Variability in yield
Erosion rates
Water quality

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Group Activity – 1 hour

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Learning Objective:
• Able to familiar with the soil and media

Instructions:
Form a group of 5 with not more than 5 members in any group.
Discuss on the following topics
• Soil and Media
• Soil and Media Testing
• Common Soil/Media Issues
• Record soil/media production, amelioration activities
Share your findings to the class

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Case Study – 2 hours

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Case study type A

Information given

1) Plant type to grow- Corn

2) Location details- School Rooftop
(Specially designed to take the weight of soil )
3) Planter type- Concrete fittings

Case study type B

Information given

1) Plant type to grow- Kai Lan

2) Location details- Allotment plot
3) Planter type- Concrete fittings

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Case study type C

Information given

1) Plant type to grow- Herbs

2) Location details- HDB MSCP rooftop
3) Planter type- Lightweight planter boxes

Case study type D

Information given

1) Plant type to grow- Pumpkin

2) Location details- Farm
3) Planter type- Natural farming ground

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THANK YOU

End of
LU3. Manage Soil and
Media

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