Soil Additives for the Garden

It use to be gardening is a very simple, easy and relaxing endeavor may it be for pleasure of for profit. Now a days, it is growing more complicated and complex not by the volume of new data and variety of floras but confusing gardening terms and products, which gardeners tend to use in varying ways. As a novice gardener it would be taxing and uninspiring as most of the confusing terms are encountered early step of gardening, especially in preparing the soil in a garden.

Soil is the foundation of any garden and farm and having a good soil in a garden, if not perfect, needs some preparation.  To do that, most employ the old school and modest solution of simply adding some organic matters, like finished compost. Other would take a modern approach which would be incorporating various soil additives.

Gardening Terms of Different Soil Additives

Zeolite

Zeolite is a very porous mineral used in industry as a filtering agent for water, as a stockfeed supplement and horticulture, as a soil additive. Due to its porous nature, each particle has a large surgace area , enabling ‘cation wxchange.’ This means that it can hold and exchange nutrients require by plants, making nutrients readily available.

Sponglite

Sponglite, silicon dioxide, is an ancient, fossilized sea sponges. It is used in agriculture, to capture industrial spilled liquids, in cat litter, fire retardant products, and thermal insulation. It is comprised of almost 99% silica. Silica plays an important role on strengthening cell structure in plants, making them less susceptible to pest and disease attack. It also aids in healthy flower and fruit production.  Lightweight and extremely porous, it has a natural ability to hold water. The silica-based strong sponge structure make it hard to break sown, thus it is ideal in additive in potting and garden soil. The down side, its dust particle is abrasive similar to asbestos, precaution should be taken.

Gypsum

Gypsum, is also known as hydrated calcium sulfate- a pH neutral, occurs as a saline evaporate mineral from ancient watercourses, like limestone. It is a major industrial mineral used in products from paper to paint, and also as a food additive. In the garden, it is used as clay breaker, helping to improve the soil structure by alleviating compaction that would   increase the air and water infiltration and plant roots penetration through the soil. However, clay soil that need improving need to be tested as not all clay soil will respond to gypsum.  

Bentonite

Bentonite is a kind of clay formed from decomposed volcanic ash minerals like montmorillonite and beidellite. It has many industrial uses from sinking oil wells to dam lining to cat litter. In the garden, it is used for it water retention ability. It is useful in binding soil particles to create a crumb structure.

Perlite

Perlite is a volcanic glass that is heated to 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. It has many industrial applications from masonry construction, cement and gypsum plasters and loose fill insulation. It is also use in pharmaceuticals and pool water filtration and as an abrasive agent in polishes, cleansers and soaps. In the garden, this lightweight material is used to it water retention quality as it comprised of tiny air compartments on the exterior of the particle and not inside. It is more porous ad tends to allow better aeration and drainage quality, suitable for plants that thrive in well-draining soil. It has a large surface area, thus it is suitable for plants that require level of high humidity. It is also use to foster stronger root formation in rooting cuttings propagation. The down side, it may cause fluoride burn, which appears as brown tips on houseplants.   

Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a hydrated laminar minerals, also called as aluminum-iron magnesium silicates. It is processed with massive heat that expands it into accordion shapped pellets composed of multiple layers of thin plates. It will not rot, deteriate or mold andis endurable, odorless, non-toxic and sterile. It has becoming more widely accepted alternative for asbestos as insulation, but it seems its dust particles is also as dangerous to respiratory health. In gardening, this very lightweight material is mix with soil to improve structure, as it increases water and nutrient retention and aeration. it has superior water retention, but less aerating ability compare to perlite, hence is it an amendable choice for water-loving plants.

Dolomite

Dolomite, otherwise known as calcium magnesium carbonate (calmag), occurs as a type if limestone. It is widely used in industry as a construction aggregate, cement manufacture and metallurgical flux. In agriculture and horticulture, it supply calcium and magnesium and will increase alkalinity of soil. pH testing is recommended to ascertain the correct amount of liming, it may cause nutrient deficiencies to plant when added to already alkaline soils.    

These are just few of different soil additives that initial comes up when talking about starting a garden and improving soil structure.  This is far from endorsing any of these soil additives or products.  Proper ratio and application have been omitted to discourage just random application. The goal is to initially encourage awareness and stimulate critical thinking before utilizing or not of such products. These soil additives commercially manufacture have some wonderful claims from ability of aeration, retain water, nutrients and mineral that is beneficial as a food source for microbes. Bolstering maximum efficiency and convenience in gardening, but keep in mind most of these are minerals and needed to be mined thus are non-renewable. Others have been manufactured and have disquieting precautionary measure. So, before jumping the promise of convenience, look into the long-term benefits not only for just a garden but the whole-wider environment.  The old-school and simpler solution of adding organic matter, like compost and mulch, may not provide the instant gratification of a robust garden, but it is a much safer and  enduring solution in improving soil structure.

Is this gardening tips interesting? If you want to know more about ratio of application of different soil additives post your questions and inquiries in the comment section below, and do not forget to follow. If you find this article lacking, please share why and do post reactions, suggestions and corrections. And maybe follow to somehow help this blog post better content. Thank you!

As always keep it simple and enjoy your garden!

Reference

Kinkead, E.B., Sehbai, D.S. & Tunney. C.J, (Eds.). (1972) Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia.(Vols 9).  Austialia: McGraw-Hill far Eastern Publishers.