Leaching of salt from container media
Date
1983
Authors
Kerr, Gregory P., author
Hanan, Joe J., advisor
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
The leaching of salt from container media was investigated by means of miscible displacement theory for a series of six peat-perlite-glass bead mixes and four other mixes. Columns were salinized with a 30 meq 1-1 solution of CaCl2 and NaCl, and allowed to equilibrate. Electrical conductivity of the effluent was monitored as columns were leached using 1 cm constant head with 2, 8 and 14 meq 1-1 solutions of CaCl2 and NaCl. A continuous series of physical properties were seen in the glass bead mixes, with efficiency of replacement of the soil solution by leaching solution increasing as glass bead content increased. Replacement efficiency had good correlations to physical properties of mixes, but insufficient data was available to relate this to particle size distribution. Leaching solution concentration did not influence replacement efficiency and, generally, after 1 to 1.5 container capacities of effluent, removal of original soil solution decreased substantially. A method is presented to determine the leaching requirement for potting mixes.
Description
Covers not scanned.
Rights Access
Subject
Soils -- Leaching
Soils, Salts in
Container gardening