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 substitutions 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.
Most mulches will help regulate soil temperature by keeping
the soil underneath it cooler.
Bark Hardwood
This is
made from the bark that comes off of the trees from lumber mills
Use as a
top dress mulch
Slow to
break down but then can be incorporated into the soil as organic material
 |
| Cedar Mulch |
Shredded Cedar Mulch
This is
made from the cedar tree remnants
from lumber mills
Use as a
top dress mulch
Slow to
break down but then can be incorporated
into the soil as organic material
Cypress
Mulch
This is
made from the cypress tree remnants from lumber mills
Use as a
top dress mulch
Slow to
break down but then can be incorporated into the soil as organic material
Landscape Fabric or Weed Barrier
Fabric that
may be biodegradable
It keeps
weeds seeds down by not letting weeds germinate
May slow
erosion
May help
soil retain moisture
Leaf Compost
 |
| Leaf Compost |
May be used
in organic gardening
May be
purchased or you can make your own
It add
organic material to soil
Creates air pockets and increase
porosity for both air and water channel
Retain
moisture
Keeps soil loose and not compacted
for a certain
period of time
Used as a
top dress mulch
Cotton Burr Compost
Loosens clay
soils
May be used
in organic gardening
Helps
neutralize PH in soils
Helps
increase the beneficial Microbes in the soil
Improves
water movement and air circulation of soils
Increases
water retention
Aged Pine Bark
 |
| Pine Bark |
Used as an
organic soil conditioner
Decreases
nitrogen leaching
Improves
water movement and air circulation
of soils
Increases
water retention
Keeps soil
loose and not compacted for a certain
period of time
Will last
longer as a substantial mass than
peat moss
Properly
aged pine bark can be difficult to find for
the average gardener
Slightly
acidic
May be
applied as a top dress
Spanish Moss
Is not
really a moss, it is an Epiphyte
(air plant)
Usually used as a top dress for containers, frequently is used in the floral industry
In the South, it is sometimes used as a top dress mulch
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
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