Garden Bed Amendments V – Specialty Products for Garden Soil
Soil amendments are anything you can add to the soil to
improve its nutritional value, water retention, drainage, structure and
aeration to create a better environment for plant root development or increase
or decrease drainage or slow soil erosion.
Soil amendments can also be considered products that you can use on top
of the soil to retain moisture, slow erosion, manage weeds, moderate soil
temperature, increase aesthetics and aid in plant growth. They can be either organic or inorganic.
Always follow the label for all products. We strongly recommend you get a soil test
before adding any nutrients to your soil.
This will give you a clear understanding of what might be missing from
your garden’s soil. You can use a
company like Agricultural Soil Management, Inc. in Champaign, IL to do your
soil test or go to
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/soiltest/
for a listing of companies.
Some of the following products are easy to find at your
local Independent
Garden Center
but others may be difficult to find stocked.
Some of these products have suitable substitution that your local Garden
Center experts can suggest for you, but if you really have your heart set on one
product or a brand of product, you can talk to them and they may be able to
special order it for you.
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| Soil Moist |
Soil Moist
Is a name brand for one type of
polymer with water
storing capabilities to help reduce waterings
We
recommend this to be added to containers that
are in a lot of sun
We also recommend this to be used
in plantings where
regular watering may be difficult
Mycorrhizae
Are microscopic fungi that help the root
structure of plants take up water and nutrients for healthier plants that
resist disease and insects
Can be
found as a granular or in a water soluble (i.e. Brand name Thrive) form
This product does not have any
direct beneficial nutrition; however, it increases the plant’s ability to
access nutrients in soil
Diatomaceous Earth for the Garden
 |
| Diatomaceous Earth |
Inorganic –
but a natural mineral that is mined
all over the world
Used as a pest management tool but
will kill
beneficials too (it dries out both hard body and soft
body insects by
getting into their respiratory systems,
and for soft body pests such as slugs,
it is like sharp
glass to them)
Used on top of the soil and as a
line barrier
Use in dry
weather
Often used
in organic gardening practices
Milorganite
It is a
biosolid
Is a fertilizer that is natural
5-2-0 slower release
It won’t
burn
It may
deter deer and rabbits
Used as a
top dress for both gardens and lawn
Definitions
Top dress – to apply product on top of the soil or garden
surface to either add nutrients, limit weed seed germination or weed growth,
retain moisture, deter soil erosion, increase aesthetic beauty
Leaching – Water soluble plant nutrients are lost due to
over watering or the soil’s inability to hold on to those nutrients for later
use
PH – is the measure of acidity to basic from #1 to #14
PH neutral – is in the middle of the PH scale at #7
Slightly Acidic – to lower the PH
Slightly Basic - To sweeten the soil, to raise the PH often
associated with lime products
N-P-K – Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium are often
depicted as number on plant fertilizers (i.e. 10-10-10)
http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/colorchange.html
http://www.soilmoist.com/products/landscapers.php
