You can find premium-quality garden soil amendments at the best prices at Groindoor.com. We feature brands including Mother Earth, Down To Earth, Fox Farm, Vermicrop Organics, Espoma, and more. How to improve garden soil? Before anything, you will need a soil tester to determine your soil's current condition, including pH,...
Before anything, you will need a soil tester to determine your soil's current condition, including pH, NPK levels, and moisture. This will help you establish which macro and micronutrients your soil needs and then develop a feeding schedule accordingly.
When you determine the pH level of your soil, you can establish the type of pH adjuster you will need to use. Keeping a check of the moisture levels will help you establish how much water the soil is retaining and how fast the water is draining.
Once you have determined your soil’s condition, you can then take steps to amend the condition where need be.
Wondering what soil amendments are? Organic nutrients are mixed with other ingredients to create a compound called soil amendments. These improve the soil's microbial activity. When garden soil is mixed with organic material, the new microbial life gets to work, improving the soil's overall condition, which leads to healthy plant growth. One other product that you can use to improve soil conditions is compost tea. Click here to learn more about compost tea and its usage.
When to amend your garden soil?
Amending your garden soil depends on your method of growing. For instance, if you are reusing the soil, you should amend it before your next grow. Some growers prefer amending the soil immediately after harvest so that the soil can compost for a longer period prior to their next harvest.
In case you opt for organic growing, you will have to use soil amends more regularly, primarily as a top dressing to keep your plant healthy from veg to flower.
If you are not sure if you need amendments or not, you can always use a soil meter. Here's how you can learn more about how you can amend your soil.
What are some good garden soil amendments?
You can find various soil amendments at Groindoor.com, and all provide different benefits depending on numerous factors. Here are some of our recommended soil amendments.
Lime
Lime works great at balancing pH levels, making it a great soil conditioner. It is ground limestone produce that can be easily bought at any hardware store or garden center. Applying lime is very simple – all it needs is two to three dustings of the garden areas, and the pH will increase.
Gypsum or elemental sulfur
Although highly unlikely and uncommon, the soil's pH can get too sweet or alkaline. In order to manage this, gypsum and elemental sulfur can be used as these have the ability to lower the soil's pH. It is important to remember that elemental sulfur happens to be more effective than gypsum.
If your soil has a calcium deficiency, the likelihood of fungal infestations and disease can significantly increase. This risk can be mitigated using bone meal as a soil conditioner. Its calcium richness and availability in the market make it very popular among growers.
Healthy soil is the core of a successful garden, and you can increase your yield and improve garden results by improving your soil health. Before moving forward with planting, you should take time to develop your soil.
Healthy soil doesn't only improve yield, but it also helps in preventing disease and fungal infestations. Give our blog on using dry organic amendments for healthy gardening a read and learn more about great recipes for veg and flower stages of the plant's lifecycle.
Want to learn from the best in the growing business? Give our experienced growers a call at 866-GRO-INDR!