By: Fabiola Grosshan
Submitted: 2010-05-13 02:38:28 | Word Count: 469
In a perfect world, all plants would thrive anywhere you plant them. However, many gardeners are faced with problems associated with the condition of their yard’s soil. In order to compensate for the problematic soil conditions, many gardeners turn to soil amendments to help solve their soil setback. It is important to know what types of fertilizers and treatments you need before committing to any one selection. For instance, San Diego palm trees do not require the same soil components that many other decorative trees require. Here is a look at some different types of soil amendments.
Chemical
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Soil amendments that are used for changing the chemistry of the soil usually come in the form of fertilizers. Fertilizers consist of varying levels of different nutrients which are broken into to two categories: Macronutrients and Micronutrients. Macronutrients are the nutrients that are consumed in large quantities. Primary macronutrients are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) while secondary macronutrients are Calcium (Ca), Sulfur (S) and Magnesium (Mg).
Micronutrients are nutrients that are consumed in smaller quantities and consist of Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B), Chlorine (Cl), Manganese (Mn), Selenium (Se) and Molybdenum (Mo). Macronutrient fertilizers are labeled with an N-P-K analysis, where each letter represents the abbreviation for each of the elements according to their assignment in the periodic table. Since each plant has its own unique requirements, it’s important to consult your local wholesale nursery to find out what sort of chemical supplementation your plants will need.
Physical
Depending on the climate and soil where a plant is going to set root, there might be a need for creating a structure change to the soil. One way to overcome this hurdle is to amend the surrounding soil by adding a material that will help it retain water for the plant or help allow better drainage. There are several types that can be used including gypsum, vermiculite, bark, clay and diatomaceous earth. Always consult your local nursery on what types of planting media should be used for the plants you wish to add to your yard or garden, particularly if you end up getting deals on palm trees for sale.
Biological
Although this method is not used for large-scale applications, some soil amendments can come in a biological form as opposed to chemical or physical growth support. Soil inoculants are essentially bacteria or fungi that are added to the soil to form a symbiotic relationship with the host plant, thus reducing the need for gardeners to rely upon artificial supplementation via fertilizers. The most commonly used is rhizobacteria, which is sometimes referred to as PGPRs or Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria.
