Soil and Media Terms

Decomposed organic matter that may include animal manures, food wastes, and vermicomposting

• compost

• field capacity

• parent material

• perlite

The material (bedrock, sediment, or organic material) that is weathered to form soil.

• porosity

• field capacity

• parent material

• perlite

A very lightweight, pea-sized (or smaller) rock that is white and comes from volcanoes.

• compost

• field capacity

• porosity

• perlite

The state of having gaps or space

• compost

• saturation

• porosity

• perlite

A situation in which water fills pore spaces in soil or soiless media to the point that there is no room for air in the pores.

• compost

• saturation

• porosity

• perlite

Small, pellet-sized material of various compositions that is added to soil to increase fertility

• compost

• soil pH

• porosity

• slow-release fertilizer

The acidity or alkalinity of a soil

• compost

• soil pH

• porosity

• slow-release fertilizer

The fertile, upper, outermost layer of the soil

• vermiculite

• soil pH

• top soil

• slow-release fertilizer

A lightweight material made of small pieces of mica that readily absorbs water

• vermiculite

• soil pH

• top soil

• slow-release fertilizer

The physical, chemical, and biological process that creates soil.

• parent material

• weathering

• top soil

• slow-release fertilizer