Method of treating soil and a method of sequestering heavy metals in soil

1. A method of treating soil, the method comprising:

applying a blend to the soil to form treated soil, the blend including a slag by-product having a soluble compound, the soluble compound including silicon; and

determining a concentration of silicon from the soluble compound in the treated soil;

wherein the applying of the blend to the soil is during a period selected from the group consisting of a post-dormancy period, a dormancy period, a post-harvest period, and combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining is by an analytical technique meeting standards set by the American Association of Plant Food Controlled Officials or the Association of Official Analytical Chemists.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining includes extracting the silicon with an extractor including Na 2 CO 3 and NH 4 NO 3 .

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the silicon from the soluble compound is greater than 15 parts per million.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treated soil has a greater total silicon than the soil, the total silicon including the silicon from the soluble compound and insoluble silicon from an insoluble compound.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein between about 4% and 19% of the total silicon is the silicon from the soluble compound.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the blend to the soil increases a concentration of the silicon from the soluble compound in plants in the treated soil.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the concentration of the silicon from the soluble compound in plants is substantially equal to the concentration of the silicon from the soluble compound in the treated soil.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the blend to the soil sequesters one or more heavy metals.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the heavy metals are sequestered by forming a substantially inert particle including the blend and the one or more heavy metals.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the blend is performed during a pre-growth period, a post-dormancy period, a dormancy period, a post-harvest period, and a fallow period.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the blend is under acidic soil conditions.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the blend includes a sulfate source.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying of the blend is to alkaline soil conditions.

15. A method of treating soil, the method comprising:

applying a blend to the soil and contacting a seed in the soil with the blend to form the treated soil, the blend including a sulfate source and a slag by-product having a soluble compound, the slag by-product being a carbon steel slag by-product, an alloy steel slag by-product, a stainless steel slag by-product, a non-ferrous slag by-product, or a combination thereof; and

determining a concentration of silicon from the soluble compound in the treated soil;

wherein the slag by-product has been produced from slag by a separation process;

wherein the treated soil has a greater concentration of the silicon from the soluble compound than the soil; and

wherein the concentration of the silicon from the soluble compound in the treated soil is at least 15 parts per million.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining is by an analytical technique meeting standards set by the American Association of American Plant Food Controlled Officials or the Association of Official Analytical Chemists.

17. A method of sequestering heavy metals in soil, the method comprising:

applying a blend to the soil to form treated soil, the blend including a sulfate source and a slag by-product having a soluble compound, the slag by-product being a carbon steel slag by-product, an alloy steel slag by-product, a stainless steel slag by-product, a non-ferrous slag by-product, or a combination thereof; and

forming a substantially inert particle in the treated soil, the substantially inert particle including the blend and one or more of the heavy metals; and

determining a concentration of silicon from the soluble compound in the treated soil;

wherein the slag by-product has been produced from slag by a separation process; and

wherein the treated soil has a concentration of silicon from the soluble compound that is at least 15 parts per million.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining the concentration of the silicon from the soluble compound in the soil is at least 15 parts per million, the determining being by an analytical technique meeting standards set by the American Association of Plant Food Controlled Officials or the Association of Official Analytical Chemists.