Study the Management of Agricultural Soils
Learn why good soil is a reason why some farms perform better than others. Learn first to understand farm soils, then to improve the long-term viability of a farm with appropriate farming practices.
This a great gap filler or foundation course that provides a solid understanding of how to apply soil science on a farm.
Course Duration: 100 hours
Course Structure
There are eight lessons in this course.
1. Physical and Chemical Properties of Soils
- Understanding Soils
- Naming the soil
- What is pH?
- Nutrient Availability and pH
- Cation exchange capacity
- Salinity build-up
- How soils develop naturally
- Chemical weathering
- Minerals and Rocks
- Types of Rock
- Understanding compost
- Indore method
- 14 day method
- Sheet composting
- Worm digester method
- Trench composting
- Improving soils
- Organic matter
- Nutrition
- Terminology
2. Soil Test Methods
- Soil sampling
- Common Soil Tests
- Soil Characteristics
- Determining bulk density
- Drainage rate
- Measuring pH
- Measuring salinity
- Conductivity and plants
- Water content of soil
- Affect of Lime on Soil
- Laboratory Testing of Soils
- Understanding Soil analysis
- Deciding when and how to test
- Terminology
3. Sustainable Soil Management
- Organic growing
- Use of organic principles to help overcome soil problems
- Natural plant nutrition
- Organic fertilisers
- Earthworms
- Mycorrhizae
- Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhiza
- Producing VAM inoculum
- Mulch
- Natural Fertilisers
- Mineral rock fertilisers and soil conditioners
- Earthworms
4. Soils and Managing Earthworks
- Earth forming
- Drainage
- Improving Drainage
- Improving infiltration of water
- Improving surface drainage after construction
- Provision of sub-surface drains
- Layout of drains
- Outlet
- Gradients
- Depth of drains
- Types of drains
- Surface drainage
- Terminology
5. Land Degradation and Other Soil Problems
- What can go wrong
- Chemical damage
- Builders rubbish and soils
- Salinity
- Overcoming salinity
- Overcoming dry soils
- Types of soil degradation
- Erosion - water and wind
- Loss of soil fertility
- Compaction
- Soil Acidification
- Physical plant protection
- Terminology
6. Container Growing
- Grass and green forage growing
- Forage production units (grass incubators)
- Using pots as containers
- Comparing container materials
- Soil cleanliness
- Potting up plants
- Nutrition Management for Container plants
- Factors affecting fertiliser application
7. Soil Science and Health
- Organic carbon
- Available phosphorus
- Soil colour
- Texture and its effect on Plant Growth
- Structure and its affect on Plant Growth
- Consistency and its effect on Plant Growth
- Depth Profile and how it relates to Plant Growth
- pH and its effect on plant growth
- Porosity and how it relates to plant growth
- Profile description - horizons
- Soil classification and Description
- Key properties of a selection of different soil groups
- Factors in soil Formation
- Climate, biosphere, topography,time, organisms and relief
- Weathering processes - Physical, Chemical and Geo-chemical
8. Soil Management
- Nitrogen fixation with legumes
- The Rhizobium bacteria
- Main types of legumes used in agriculture
- Soil Management in Orchards
- Fertiliser applications
- Soil covers
- Soil management in market gardens
- Crop rotation
- Fertilisers
- Soil Management for vegetables
AIMS
- Develop a broad understanding of the physical and chemical properties of soils.
- Develop skills in sampling and field testing soils for basic physical and chemical properties.
- Understand the principles, methods and techniques of sustainable soils management.
- Understand the principles and practices of earthworks.
- Understand causes and remediation methods of land degradation and soil problems.
- Develop a broad knowledge in the use of growing containers for agriculture.
- Develop strong understanding of soil science and its impact on plant growth.
- Develop practical knowledge about managing soil for particular cropping uses.
WHY CHOOSE US?
We have over 5 decades of experience in soil management. Our tutors and course developers are agricultural and horticultural scientists and business owners with hands on practical experience working in farming, gardening and plant production industries.
Reputation: Many of our staff are industry leaders in their respective fields. The principal (John Mason) was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Australian Institute of Horticulture in 2024. The school has been given many accolades over the years including awards from the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria for contributions to the Royal Melbourne Agricultural Show in the 80's and 90's.
Industry & Practical focus: We have always focussed on teaching things that can be used in real life
Service: We always give priority to helping our students learn. Questions are commonly answered on the same day you contact us, and if not, on the next working day - and by real people (not A.I.) Assignments are marked by an expert and returned with feedback promptly - commonly in around 1 week
A long track record: We established in 1979, have a solid history and have built up a massive amount of unique resources to underpin your study.
