Best Soil Amendments

Soil pH May Affect Certain Diseases Image Catalog/Flikcr In a study of soybean diseases performed by the University of Wisconsin, researchers determined that proper soil pH decreased crop damaged by soybean cyst nematodes and brown stem rot.

The real downside to using these imbalanced fertilizers is that the mycorrhizae in the soil work best in an environment that contains low levels of phosphorus. Our garden grew seemingly without much aid from us.

On the pH scale, a single-digit change (say from 5 to 6) translates as a tenfold change in acidity or alkalinity. There's a lot to know about your soil for sure, but the most critical measurement is its pH.

For a garden, the compost should be fully broken down, so as to not tie up important nutrients. Organic Matter Organic matter is the food of the soil, and it's measured by percentage.

The acorns from the oaks feed free-ranging pigs that produce some of the world-famous hams of the Iberian Peninsula, meaning that the move towards plastic corks could undermine one of the most sustainable agricultural systems on the planet.

Add Organic Matter Often Great sources of organic matter include straw, hay, cover crops and wood chips, but only when used correctly. Use the following five steps to make sure your garden soil is healthy.

Here are a few common cover crops that demonstrate this dual purpose. Both of these products are helpful in menstrual disorders, osteoporosis and general nervous system imbalances.

Some claim organically grown produce is more nutritious than conventionally grown produce, while others insist there is no difference . The root hairs, living only a couple of days up to a few weeks, use calcium like ankle weights to help them grow down!...

With the right ingredients on hand, you can mix up your own batch of healthy potting soil. You can ensure healthy plants by taking control over the soil used to grow them. Below are some sample recipes that can guide your venture, but feel free to experiment...

The water that drains down to the water table can percolate into groundwater to replenish our aquifers or flow laterally to feed streams and rivers during the dry summer months. Boost your soil with these gardening tips: 6 Soil Problems and Amendments...

So what's a gardener with clay soil to do? Wood chips are best left to the moisture and earthworms to slowly break down, enriching the soil over time, and being replenished as needed.

That's why perhaps the best option is to simply grow a crop that could take advantage of the excess nutrient, such as corn for high nitrogen, peppers or melons for high phosphorous, or peanuts or alfalfa for high potassium.

The technique utilizes layers of organic matter to create a new planting bed right on top of existing sod. Make A New Garden Bed Sheet composting—aka lasagna gardening—is a great way to make a new garden.

I was recruited to work in several foreign countries, and I did start thinking that I might enjoy living in Europe for awhile. I frequently need to dig down to the bedrock, and I do encounter many areas where there's more rock than dirt.

Plus, soil amendments are the only way to deliver long-lasting fertilizer to the root zone, and they're typically less expensive than foliar applications. Major nutrients cannot directly enter the leaves of the plant in enough quantity to provide for...

Both of these woods have a natural resistance to rot and decay, which is imperative since they will be filled with dirt and water for their entire useful lives. In our Oregon area, cedar, while expensive, is the most common choice.

Spread the soil onto a newspaper for 24 to 48 hours. This is valuable to farmers and gardeners as it can reflect the availability of nitrogen, a plant nutrient that not included in soil tests because it comes and goes so quickly from the soil it's nearly...

Thus, your corn, lettuce, roses and geraniums won't grow or produce to their full potential.Most nutrients that plants need are readily available when the pH of the soil solution ranges from 6.0 to 7.5.Some nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and...

Since I use empty glass bottles instead of bricks, the first phase of my projects is always to assemble a huge amount of bottles. I'll also knock the fronts out of a few bottles on the top row and fill the space with dirt so I can plant hanging things...

Perhaps the iron in your soil is lacking. Iron also plays a role in the respiratory function of plants, where they convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Stories and superstitions like these from gardeners and farmers abound.

The March soil temperatures across much of the eastern United States this year are considerably cooler than they were in 2012, which brought the hottest or second-hottest March on record to 33 states between the Great Plains and the eastern seaboard.

This can be the carbonaceous stalk of the wheat plant, aka straw, the body of an earthworm, animal manure or the dying roots of a broccoli plant. They aren't exactly mutually exclusive—compost can contain humus—but it's important to try and encourage...

Using a nitrogen-rich soil amendment (like peecycling !) can balance out this issue. Smaller sticks, like first-year water sprouts and 2- to 3-year-old growth, I shred with a home wood chipper and either lay on the soil as mulch or blend in the soil to...

However, not knowing how well my soil would hold moisture, I made the assumption in one flat part of the garden that the soil would dry out fast. Healthy soil will dry fast but remain moist enough for planting or seeding.

Sandy soil amendments can help improve sandy soil so that you can grow a wider variety of plants in your garden. While compost and manure are the best way to amend sandy soil, they contain high levels of salt that can stay in the soil and damage growing...

Depending on how the animals are raised, manure can sometimes contain buildup of persistent herbicides that aren't broken down by sunlight or composting. After enough time has passed, you'll be rewarded with an earthy, crumbly, leafy mixture like you'd...

Step 2: Load soil blocker. Use warm water, as it's more easily absorbed by the soil-mix components than cold. Otherwise, once you have strong seedlings, you can place the entire block into the garden, spacing according to seed-packet directions.