IN OUR HOMES...SWEET HOME: Soil Additives

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.

In most gardens, soil is the foundation. A great garden soil is a healthy one where it is full of life meant it is humus-rich that have an active symbiotic relationship with small animals, worms, insects, and soil bacteria and fungi. The macro and microbial activities create and provides a slow release of nutrients to growing plants. A healthy soil is not only having a substantially water-holding capacity to conserve moisture, but also have good drainage and aeration.

There are many ways to improve the overall structure of soil. One could artificially increase nutrients in the soil by adding chemical fertilizer, but it’s an add-on cost and in the long-term could cause harm to the environment. Another way by improving water-holding capacity through mulching or using dried leaves or coconut husks, these increase moisture and suppress weeds. A safer and cheaper option yet a high in carbon materials could cause soil microorganisms to use up extra nitrogen to digest it and deprive plants the much needed nutrient. However, there is the cheapest and most versatile soil additive that every gardener should be using that is called finished compost, also referred as compost.

Compost and Finished Compost

Compost is a pile of organic matter in an aerobic process of decomposing through the work of microorganisms, soil fauna, enzymes and fungi into humus. While finished compost is basically the end-product of composting. It is a form of humus, a decomposed organic matters and pretty looks, feels and smells like rich black earth or soil. And good quality compost helps build that garden’s foundation by giving the soil the humus.

Versatile and Sustainable

Finished compost is a versatile soil additive that improves soil structure as it binds with soil particles into porous granules which allow air and water to move through the soil. It actively retains moisture, as rich in organic matter or humus, as it holds up to 90 percent of its weight in water, and able to absorb and store nutrients. Since it is stabilized and cured it does not take the much needed nitrogen from the soil, a great soil conditioner. Most importantly, finished compost is a natural fertilizer, as organic matter is a source of food for microorganisms that convert soil nutrients unto a form, a balanced and full spectrum of plants nutrients, which plants absorb more efficiently. These nutrients are gradually release, as plants need them, over a period of months or years. The microorganisms, enzymes, vitamins and natural antibiotic that are present in the compost could help prevent soil pathogens from harming plants.

Environmental Friendly

Composting is the ecological alternative of burning or burying organic waste. It is a recycled and reused organic waste into fertilizer and soil additive. It is a chemical free way to nourish plant and stimulate their defense system and extra strength to grow fast and stay healthy.

Basically Free

Composting is the least costly if you make your own compost is basically free. All you need is space, brown and green organic waste, a little water and time. And let Mother Nature do the rest. But one can hasten the process by providing the best possible environment for the microorganism doing the decomposition by a simple manual labor, no need of special bins, special thermometer, aerator or starter.

Making your own Compost

This is a small scale composting just to show the basic ideas and steps I making your own compost. Here goes.

1. Preparation of containers or area. Using a 13-foot length of 2x4x36-inch welded medium gauge wire fence, tie the ends together to form a hoop with 3-4 feet in diameter. Crisscross branches on the bottom for aeration. Or just secure an area large enough to make a 4 feet in diameter by 4 feet in height pile.

2. Piling up the compost as high as 3-4 feet. To have an active compost pile, a certain ratio of carbon-rich (brown) to nitrogen-rich (green) organic waste material should be observed and maintained; recommendation varies from 30:1, 25:1 to 20:1. To simplify use about 3 times more “brown” than “green” materials or 3:1 ratio and in alternate layer. That would provide ideal environment for live microorganisms, bacteria and fungi to grow and reproduce feeding in the nitrogen and carbon that is naturally present in organic matters. Please see picture box below for the list of brown and green organic materials.

An excess of brown and not enough green materials, would make a pile years to decompose as there is not enough protein for microbes. While an excess of green and not enough brown, a pile would also decompose slowly, be soggy and smelly, as there is not enough food for the microbes to eat.

All organic matter breaks down eventually, slowly and gradually transforms waste into compost. However, in smaller pieces and more homogenized waste matter could hasten composting. Once accumulate enough organic waste and the desired height of the pile had been reached, stop adding and let it decompose.

3. Composting. Let it sit, in a couple of days, steam will rise, and heat indicates microbial activity from aerobic bacteria decompose the waste materials. The temperature determines what types of microbes are active.

Bacteria in the Compost

- Psychrophiles - As low as 28 degrees Fahrenheit

As they begin to digest some of the carbon-rich materials, they give off heat, which causes the temperature in the pile to rise.

- Mesophilic bacteria - 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit

They are responsible for the majority of the decomposition work. If the mesophiles have enough carbon, nitrogen, air, and water, they work so hard that they raise the temperature in the pile.

- Thermophilic bacteria - about 100 degrees Fahrenheit

It is these bacteria that can raise the temperature high enough to sterilize the compost and kill disease-causing organisms and weed seeds. Three to five days of 155 degrees Fahrenheit is enough for the thermophiles to do their best work.

4. Turning the compost pile every 3- 5 or 7 days, while big piles are turned monthly or when the interior temperature dips below about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The purpose of turning is to increase oxygen flow for aerobic bacteria (bacteria that needs oxygen) to stimulate chemical process and decay. And to blend undecomposed materials into the center pile to ensure decomposition occurs evenly throughout the pile. Turning speeds the composting process.

Turn the compost pile by breaking the pile, spread it all out. Check if it is moist, if its dry spray with water, preferably unchlorinated. Moisture is very important for composting process, but too much will drown the microorganism and too little will dehydrate them. Rule of green thumb; keep the pile moist as a well-wrung sponge.

Then pile it back up and mixing it together, and it will start to break down and heat up again, as long as there is still undecomposed material.

5. Composting...is it done yet? More or less, compost pile would stop breaking down in a month to 5 weeks. For big piles the active break down phase takes 6-10 months. Then, no matter how much it is turned, when the pile’s temperature remains constant, steam stop rising, and mushrooms are popping the compost pile is probably ready for curing.

6. Curing. Let the compost pile sit for another month to which the compost is allowed to stabilize. This would allow fungi to continue decomposition process and eliminate phytotoxic substances. And for bigger piles that would be an additional 6-8 months. When the compost pile looks, feels and smells like a dark brown or black rich earthy soil then it is ready for gardening.

7. Screening/Straining the finished compost is optional; it is to removes large objects. This step could be forgone if smaller pieces and more homogenized organic matter had been added to the pile. A screened quality would be best when used in seed germination, growing seedlings and planting root crops.

Composting is easy and environmentally sustainable. Most gardeners would recommend a 2 to 4- inch layer of compost around plants or over the area and till the compost into the soil as deep as 6 to 8 inches. If you cannot make it on your own make sure to buy and use those that don’t incorporate chemical treated materials.

Unfortunately, as this point the post is getting lengthy, thus the other soil additives will be discuss on the next gardening tip blog post. I hope you do not mind regards to the changes, please feel free let me know what you think.

I hope this article provided some additional knowledge and ideas that could help in making your own compost, soil mix and starting a garden. If you like this article, please let me know, leave a comment below and do not forget to follow. If you don’t, I still would like to hear what you think and please post reactions and corrections that could help improve this article or this blog in general. Thank you.

As always enjoy gardening and Mother Nature!