LEACHING
SOIL




LEACH

LEACHING

SALT LEACHING METHODS

WHAT IS LEACHING?

LEACHING LINKS



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SECTION 1



LEACH




When a chemical substance leaches or is leached from a material, especially
soil, it is removed by the action of water passing through the material:
The calcium, potassium, and magnesium ions are leached or washed out of the
top soil into lower inaccessible subsoil.



Leach
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/leaching



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SECTION 2



LEACHING




The term “leaching” often comes up in discussions of soil and
fertilizer. What exactly is leaching? In soil, leaching is a
natural process that can be helpful or harmful, depending on
the circumstances.



Definition of Leaching

Leaching refers to the process by which chemicals, nutrients
and other soluble matter in soil are dissolved by excess water
and washed away.



Leaching and Soil

Leaching of soil occurs naturally and is part of the process of
soil formation. When soil becomes saturated with rainwater, water
travels downward, into groundwater or into springs and eventually
rivers, lakes and streams. In the process, substances such as iron,
aluminum, calcium and organic matter are carried deep into the soil
or washed away altogether.

The term “leaching” often comes up in discussions of soil and fertilizer.
In the process, substances such as iron, aluminum, calcium and organic
matter are carried deep into the soil or washed away altogether.



Leaching Potted Plants

Leaching is a beneficial technique for washing excess salts and fertilizers
from the soil of potted plants. When you apply fertilizer repeatedly to
potted plants, salts from the fertilizer build up in the soil and can burn
plant roots. You can sometimes see a ring of salt on the outside of clay pots
or around the top of the soil. The College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at
the University of Arizona recommends leaching potted plants every four to six
months to prevent salts from accumulating. To leach a potted plant, pour
approximately twice the amount of water as the pot can hold on the top of the
soil and let it drain completely.



Nitrogen and Water Pollution

Leaching becomes a problem when pesticides and fertilizers from the soil are
leached into water supplies. The leaching of nitrogen is of particular concern.
Nitrogen, an important plant nutrient, occurs naturally in soil as a result of
decomposing plant and animal matter and as a result of soil amendments such as
animal manure and nitrogen fertilizers. During times of heavy rainfall, nitrogen
is converted into nitrate, a mobile form of nitrogen which moves easily with the
flow of water. When nitrate is leached into groundwater and streams, it becomes
potentially harmful to pregnant animals and their young. When it enters private
wells and water supplies, nitrate poses a threat to humans—especially babies
less than 1 year of age. According to the University of Missouri Extension,
nitrate poisoning in infants causes internal suffocation or “blue baby syndrome.”

Leaching is a beneficial technique for washing excess salts and fertilizers from
the soil of potted plants.

When nitrate is leached into groundwater and streams, it becomes potentially
harmful to pregnant animals and their young.



Organic Farming and Leaching

Organic farming methods can be helpful in reducing the amount of pesticides and
nitrogen leached into water supplies. The USDA National Institute of Food and
Agriculture reports that, in a study by Washington State University, nitrogen
leaching was four to five times greater in trees fertilized using synthetic
fertilizers than those fertilized using organic methods. Some ways you can reduce
harmful soil leaching are by increasing the organic content of your soil, using
natural slow-release fertilizers, and avoiding the use of pesticides whenever
possible.



Leaching
https://www.gardenguides.com/12328208-what-is-the-meaning-of-leaching.html



Leaching
(agriculture)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaching_(agriculture)




Indoor Potting
Soil 101 & the
Best Soil for
Houseplants!

https://www.bybrittanygoldwyn.com/houseplant-soil/




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SECTION 3



SALT
LEACHING
METHODS




Tips On Leaching Indoor Plants


Potted plants have only so much soil to work with, which means
they need to be fertilized. This also means, unfortunately, that
extra, unabsorbed minerals in the fertilizer remain in the soil,
potentially leading to nasty buildup that can harm your plant.
Luckily, there’s an easy process for getting rid of this buildup,
called leaching. Indoor plants should be leached regularly to keep
their soil clear.



Salt Leaching Methods:
Tips On Leaching Indoor Plants

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/leaching-indoor-plants.htm



Information About
General Houseplant Care

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen




Types Of Leaching:
Info On Leaching
Garden Plants And Soil

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/soil-leaching-information.htm




What Causes
Soil Leaching?

https://www.ehow.com/info_12014329_causes-soil-leaching.html




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SECTION 4



WHAT
IS
LEACHING?




Leaching is the liberation of metals from ores by chemical
dissolution, and it forms the basis of most hydrometallurgical
extraction processes.



Types of Leaching


1. Cyanide Leaching

2. Ammonia Leaching

3. Alkali Leaching

4. Acid Leaching



What is Leaching?
https://byjus.com/chemistry/leaching/



Leaching
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/leaching




How to Get Rid of
Salt Accumulation
on a Potted Plant

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/rid-salt-accumulation-potted-plant-22621.html




Tiny Bugs In
Houseplant Soil:
What They Are And
How To Remove Them

https://www.homefortheharvest.com/tiny-bugs-in-houseplant-soil/




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SECTION 5



LEACHING
LINKS




How to clean buildup off
your houseplant’s soil

https://www.gazettenet.com/Master-Gardener-31252387

Leaching
https://www.britannica.com/science/leaching-geochemistry-of-soil

Leaching houseplants
https://laidbackgardener.blog/tag/leaching-houseplants/

Leaching Salts From Potting Mixes
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/houseplants/1339-leaching-salts-potting-mixes/

Leaching Salts from
Houseplant Soil
Lose the White Crust

https://indoorgardening.com/leaching-salts-from-houseplant-soil-lose-the-white-crust/

Managing Salt Buildup
(white crusty substance)
on Houseplant Soil

https://www.melindamyers.com/audio-video/melindas-garden-moment-audio-tips/houseplants-holiday-plants-cut-flowers/managing-salt-buildup-white-crusty-substance-on-houseplant-soil

Phosphorus leaching in
relation to soil type
and soil phosphorus content

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15074820/

Soluble Salts
https://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Houseplants/Soluble_Salts/

What Is Leaching In Soil:
A Gardener Should Know

https://www.tinyplantation.com/soil-fertilizers/what-is-leaching-in-soil#:~:text=%20For%20small-time%20growers%20or%20gardeners,%20there%20are,bare%20soil%20to%20prevent%20leaching%20during...%20More

What is soil leaching?
https://first-law-comic.com/what-is-soil-leaching/



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Gaia’s
Garden

https://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2011/11/gaias-garden.html




Growing
With
Nature

https://www.growingwithnature.org/




Backyard
Gardener

https://www.backyardgardener.com/




GARDENING
CHANNEL

https://www.gardeningchannel.com/




How To
Garden
Advice

https://howtogardenadvice.com/




HOW TO
LAY OUT A
VEGETABLE GARDEN

https://www.almanac.com/video/how-lay-out-vegetable-garden?fbclid=IwAR3TMYUo6nOoFURZqJGsCCO0m7bt06mf3Dac8uU9d_RBJ3h0cFimFT_irv4




The Internet
Directory
for Botany

http://www.botany.net/IDB/




Six methods of
plant propagation

https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/five-methods-of-plant-propagation/




MIMI
https://en.mimi.hu/index.html




Readers
Digest

https://www.rd.com/




Farmers
Almanac

http://www.almanac.com/




Modern
Farmer

http://modernfarmer.com/




The Encyclopedia
of Life

http://eol.org/




PLANET KIDS
http://www.planetkids.biz/




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