Soil Conditioner

'The grass is green and the rose is red ... .' Sounds familiar? Rings a bell? Well, this line is from the very famous nursery rhyme that you and your friends would hum along and play. Those were the days when, indeed, this line carried meaning. This line could be altered to suit the present situation, 'the grass is gray and the rose is dead'! The first version sounds pleasing, the second one, painful. The current scenario of the environment is depressing. It no more has green fluff to flaunt, but has grays to hide. If this description sketches a picture of your garden state as well, then here is one solution: soil conditioner. Make your garden green and gift yourself the beauty of nature. After all, your garden greens contribute to making the environment switch from gray to green!

What is Soil Conditioner?

Soil conditioners are substances that aid in improving the quality of the soil. They are a tonic supplied to soil that lacks the necessary nutrients and is ill-maintained. They make the soil fit for use, thereby creating and maintaining the soil condition.

What is Soil Conditioner Used For?

• Besides soil conditioners being a fountainhead of maintenance and health, it is also employed to configure the soil structure. As time elapses, soil clumps up and becomes unfit for use. These conditioners are designed in such a manner that they loosen up the soil and make it suitable for plants to boom and flowers to bloom with health.
• With the passage of time, soil also tends to lose its nutrient levels. These conditioners replenish the nutrients into the soil system which encourages plants to grow healthier and glossier in appearance.
• It is of great help when soil becomes dry. It enriches the soil by improving its power of water retention, thereby working positively on the texture and the quality of the soil.
• The conditioner could be added to conform with regards to plant requirement. The soil pH could be varied to make acidic or alkaline soil, keeping the soil-plant compatibility in mind.

Why Use Soil Conditioner for Lawns?

• Soil conditioners could be in the form of compost (you must know the various methods of composting so that a good compost could be added to your garden), sphagnum peat moss (a vital component in formulating soil-less potting mix), coir, vermiculite, lime, chemical fertilizers, organic conditioners; such as, seaweed, manure, and bone meal.
• Mulching is a method where mulches increase its water retention prowess so that plants turn out healthy.
• Organic fertilizers that strengthen plants and promote organic gardening.
• Organic conditioners for lawns could be either administered in the dry powdery form or they could be used in liquid form by applying the fertilizer with the foliar spray. They are conditioners that are best administered when sprayed directly on the surface of the plant.
• Conditioning the soil for the lawn could be beneficial if you don't overdo it. It is suggested that the it should not be added in excess to the garden soil may not prove helpful and may damage the well-being of the plant.

Why Use Soil Conditioner for Clay Soil?

• Soil conditioner could be a vital ingredient as clay content in the soil can compact the soil. This makes the soil unfit for use. Thus, the soil needs to have a good drainage system in place to prevent water logging that make the plants sick and look lifeless.
• Adding organic material in clay soil can help the soil to clump less. Dried leaves, sphagnum moss, bone meal could be added to the clay soil to make it loose and fit for use. This will aid you to understand ways that indicate how to improve clay soil.

With a little, yet significant effort, you will have a landscape design worth cherishing for a lifetime. Do remember the line 'the grass is green and the rose is red'. Make it a reality once again and give it meaning ... yet again.