Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange
Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [soil-amendment]

About modifying a soil's content.

Soil amendments are any additives which are added to a soil to change its characteristics. Amendments can include (but are not limited to):

  • Fertilizers
  • Compost
  • Lime
  • Rock chips
  • Sand
  • Bark chips
  • Biochar
  • Vermiculite

Amendments can change the acidity (pH), water-holding ability, drainage, nutritional content, and inoculate against some diseases.

Use this tag for all questions where a general soil amendment tag is appropriate. Questions about specific amendments should use the specific tag for the amendment.

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Perlite and Vermiculite sustainability

Are perlite and vermiculite sustainable? For potting mixes, I have to use quantities of perlite and vermiculite. But I am concerned about their sustainability, and how they are obtained.
Aksh
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What happens when you grow your plants in essentially worm castings?

I've heard of people adding worm castings to their garden soil, but what happens if you're on the worm casting extreme, and plant directly into worm castings?
black thumb
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Crop rotation: by season instead of by year?

I have 3 raised beds in a small 30 m2 greenhouse, this is the first year I have it so I don't have much experience. I've been reading about crop rotation, and was wondering why you can't or shouldn't plant the same crop every year. Can't you just…
lolact
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Is it good to add probiotics to your fermented plant juice?

I'm just wondering if adding some sort of bacteria like the ones you get in your probiotics supplements, can be good for your fermented plant juice?
Neil Meyer
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Egg shells and peanut casings in pot soil

I was reading up a few weeks ago on fertilizing and someone, somewhere said that grinding down egg shells would be a good idea to increase calcium in the soil. Now this made me save some egg shells and peanut casings. My question is, without…
Tikkes
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What is mushroom compost, exactly?

I just bought 25L of a product labelled: Organic Mushroom Compost. I know what I'm going to use it for, but am curious about the name. Today alone, I've read (and been given/told) at least 3 contrasting explanations. Which is it? Composted…
voices
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What are the long term effects of adding iron oxide pigments to soil?

Iron oxide (Pigment Black 11) is a intense black non toxic and very cheap pigment. I think I have read somewhere that soil from shops is sometimes pigmented with iron oxide because it sells better. But I could not find a reference any more. Some…
Jonas Stein
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Is it helpful to add coffee grounds to a droopy mother-in-law's tongue?

I have a mother-in-law's tongue, Sansevieria trifasciata, that's getting a bit yellow and slightly droopy. A friend recommended that I add some coffee grounds to the soil, which I've been doing, but I'm worried that the grounds are making the soil…
Morella Almånd
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What is the correct ratios for Epsom Salt and Gypsum solutions?

I want to use solutions of Gypsum and Epsom Salts to augment the nutrients in my pot plants. They seem to be having some mineral deficiencies. I'm wondering what is the correct amount of Calcium Sulphate and Magnesium Sulphate for a two-liter…
Neil Meyer
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How can I treat nutrient burnt basil seedlings?

I grow basil plants from seed. They're approximately 1 month old. I gave them a little pigeon manure, and I think I burnt them. How can I normalize the soil and plant? Thanks.
musa
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Does it make sense to mix dead fig leaves in my soil?

I garden in an "arid desert" zone, with almost no rain and little vegetation. We have a number of fig trees, which I recently cut back. I separated the leaves from the twigs. I've read that desert soil generally tends to contain little organic…
Pekka
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Sod not getting enough water?

I had sod installed about 12 days ago and its taking really well in 95% of the yard, nice and green and is taking root. There are a few sprinklers near the back brick wall that are not far enough back and don't provide enough water to the…
SBB
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What leaves should I feed worms?

I know that in real life worms will eat both fresh and dry leaves at night or when it rains. I am not putting earthworms in the soil yet but I will soon. I am trying earthworms and mix of old and new soil to improve the growth of my maples both in…
Caters
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For a new lawn, are mixed soils worth it?

I'm redoing my lawn because it was extremely unlevel. I've already flattened the whole thing, scraped out all the old grass, and now I'm ready for top soil. After calling a few local places, I've learned that some of them offer different mixes,…
6937
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Amending a barren yard with compost: dedicated weed barrier or no?

I've got a pretty typically barren New Mexico (zone 7a) yard, and I'm thinking of trying some intensive amendment to control weeds, improve the soil, and add some visual interest. What I've read here as well as some other places has led me down the…
iLikeDirt
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