Benefits of using a good quality soil conditioner
Trials have consistently shown that a healthy soil, rich in humus and organic matter will encourage stronger plants and a greater biodiversity within gardens.
Your garden soil should contain millions of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa all of which need organic matter to break down into humus and nutrients for your plants. Then whatever you plant, be it flowers, fruit or vegetables will use these nutrients to grow. It is therefore important to condition your soil to ensure this process can continue to take place season after season.
Digging in a soil conditioner is recommended for poor-quality soil that can either be compacted or of a clay consistency, where it will break it down into smaller pieces; or light and sandy in consistency, where it helps to stick this together a little more. When mixing a soil conditioner in for the first time, it is best if you can mix to a depth of around 15-20cm; this allows for the potential depth of most root structures.
It is never too late to add a good quality soil conditioner to your garden, however this process is always easier before planting as you can really get it worked into the soil. If your garden is already planted up, then to avoid disturbing the root structure of your plants the soil conditioner should only be lightly agitated into the top layer of soil to give it a helping start. The rest of the work will be done by water and micro-organisms pulling it further down into the deeper layers of soil to release the natural fertiliser content.
The benefits of soil conditioning include maintaining soil moisture levels, improve the soil structure by increasing aeration, ensures a continuous supply of material for the bacteria and micro-organisms to break down, encourages a broader ecosystem within your garden and plants are stronger and healthier.
There are a few different types of soil conditioners available for different scenarios however the one main thing that they all have in common, and all will do in any circumstance is to improve the quality of your soil. And with delivery in Edinburgh, the Lothians and throughout Scotland to your garden by our team, it makes it even easier to give your garden a boost of nutrients it needs.
