Gardeners, landscapers, and farmers alike can increase growth and appearance of plant life by introducing amendments into the soil. Amendments are organic or inorganic materials added to soil to ameliorate its physical characteristics, such as:

• Structure
• Aeration
• Water infiltration
• Drainage
• Permeability
• Water retention

By improving these qualities, soil amendments can help compensate for deficiencies in the native soil, such as density and low nutrient holding capacity. When utilizing amendments correctly, commercial and home users alike can expect robust plant growth, enhanced color and vitality, and reduction of undesirable conditions such as weeds, diseases, and rot.

What Types of Soil Amendments are Available?

Soil amendments fall into two main categories: organic and inorganic. The distinctions between the two types of amendments include:

• Organic amendments are created from formerly living organisms, such as grass clippings, wood chips, manure, compost, saw dust, biosolids, and wood ash. They also increase the proportion of organic matter content in soil, improve soil condition, and can work as organic fertilizers. Organic amendments also provide nutrition for earthworms, fungi, and bacteria living in the soil.

• Inorganic amendments such as tire chunks, sand, pea gravel, perlite, and vermiculite are either man-made or mined.

Whittier Fertilizer offers a wide selection of organic amendments to meet the needs of any farmer, gardener, or landscaper. Depending on your planting needs, choose from options such as:

• Manure. Ideal for landscaping and backyard gardening, manure-based amendments have been composted and treated over time to manage ammonium content and remove harmful bacteria. They contribute to healthy plant growth by providing nitrates, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and other trace elements.

• Organic compost. This rich soil amendment is formed by the decomposition of living plant materials. It contains vital microorganisms that nourish soil and encourage growth. Use organic compost for fertilization, weed control, landscaping, planting, potting, and more.

• Soil mix. A custom combination of finely screened sandy loam soil and other organic ingredients, soil mix provides proper nutrition and optimal draining properties to soil.

• Worm castings. This mixture contains bacteria, enzymes, plant matter and manure. The easily absorbed nutrients in worm castings mix enhance the health and appearance of plant growth, as well as prevent disease.

How to Use Soil Amendments

Some possible uses for soil amendments in gardens or landscaping include:

• Sprinkling on new lawns to enhance growth and color
• Adding to soil around rose bushes and trees
• Combining with the soil of indoor potted plants
• Placing at the bottom of planting holes to nourish seeds and transplants
• Mixing into the soil of flowers and vegetables
• Incorporating into the soil of raised beds

For the best results, amendments must be thoroughly mixed into the soil.

At Whittier Fertilizer, we are committed to helping you make the best choices to create healthy, strong, and productive plants. We offer custom mixing of all our products to ensure fertilizer products meet your unique needs. For more information about soil amendments, call us at (562) 699-3461 to speak with one of our specialists.

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