Earthlife Blog

Soil Amendments vs Soil Conditioners

Which is best?

 Some consider soil amendments to be products that are added to change a soils characteristics, such as gypsum and lime, and soil conditioners are added to improve the physical structure, such as compost and worm castings. Others consider amendments will treat structure and conditioners will change characteristics.
 
Both amendments and conditioners are added to soils with the idea of improving the top layer of soil for better plant growth.
 
The problem is though is that without life in the soil they are all just short-term additions and not long-term solutions.
 
So, it is really just a matter of semantics.
 
Natural ecosystems are constantly being amended by leaf litter and animal droppings with the soil microbes utilising these amendments to condition the soil deep into the soil profile. Too much of any one type of amendment or conditioner may restrict these processes from happening.
 
Soil biology is natures soil conditioner, as given the right conditions, the microbes populate the soil and create an environment for themselves to live and thrive.
 
Microbes need organic matter, and they need plants. Plants obtain 90-100% of their nutritional needs from microbes. In turn the plants produce food to encourage and feed the microbes.
 
To produce better quality food the plant roots need to grow deep in to the soil to access minerals, so the microbes condition the soil deeper as they grow.
 
This process can be accelerated by amending and conditioning with any of Earthlife Microbial Rock Mineral products. Loaded with beneficial biology and minerals these products will kick-start the natural processes in any soil. Earthlife can reduce the need for a multitude of different amendments and conditioners with simple, easy-to-use products.

 

You might also like...