Horticulture Hotline 04/16/18
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
With all the recent cold damage, salt damage, and hurricane
damage I have been getting a lot of questions about amending the soil for
planting. Here are a few products that will make a big difference for you. Test
soil first, if possible. Amend your soil. Wait 30 days to plant, if possible
not necessary.
Amend whole area not just the hole! With clay especially. I
have witnessed many plants and trees where the soil was amended in a hole of
clay. The clay acts like a bowl holding the water in the amended area around
the roots, killing the plant or tree. With trees and shrubs do not till deeper
than the root ball of the plants you are planting. Once the amendments settle
you do not want your plant planted too deep.
This recipe is based on per 100 sq. ft. of planting area:
·
Turface – 200 lbs. per 100 sqft. Turface is super-heated calcified clay. Turface helps improve drainage and reduces
compaction. Turface will last in the
soil for over 20 years. The particle can
hold its weight in water and then releases it slowly as the plant needs
it. We have used this product to correct
many water issues (too wet and too dry – it is like a thermos knows whether to keep
dry or wet) over the years.
·
Bolster 04-04-04 Sustane – 2.5 lbs. per 100
sqft. This product increases fertilizer
efficiency and improves soil biology. It
contains mycorrhiza spores increasing the ability for the roots absorb
nutrients and water. Also contains biostimulants and iron.
·
SeaHume – 1.5 lbs. per 100 sqft. Humic acid and
seaweed. Super product for establishing plants. Stimulates growth of beneficial
microorganisms and root growth. Over 60 minor nutrients, amino acids,
gibberellins and much, much more.
·
Cotton Burr Compost – (4) 3 cu.ft. bags per 100
sq.ft. (sandy soil, increase to (6) bags).
Cotton Burr Compost is nature’s perfect soil conditioner. The cotton boll (burr) is full of nutrients
and will not tie up nitrogen like wood and wood-based soil amendments. It will loosen up clay soils and add water
holding capacities to sandy soils (also like a thermos!). Cotton Burr is an excellent food source for
beneficial soil organisms that help make nutrients available to plants, aerate
the soil and helps keep harmful organisms and diseases in check.
·
Flower Bed Amendment – (5) 1 cu.ft. bags per 100
sqft (in sand, increase to (8) bags).
This product not only contains Cotton Burrs, but also composted cattle
manure, feather meal, cotton seed meal and alfalfa meal. Alfalfa meal is high in nitrogen and contains
Triacantanol, a natural root growth enhancer, and may help in the suppression
and control of certain fungal diseases.
·
Diehard Transplant – inoculates soil with
beneficial fungi, bacteria, and Trichoderma. Seaweed, humic acid, wetting
agents and root promoting vitamins, and amino acids. Put Diehard Transplant in
direct contact with the root system, so the mycorrhizal fungi will colonize the
roots quickly.
Mix these products together and
till into 6-8 inches of soil. With clay
soil, you should have 1/3 amendments and 2/3 clay. With sandy soil, it should be ½ amendments
and ½ sand. For trees and shrubs adjust depth according to root ball size.
After tilling the bed, top dress
with (4) bags of Natures Blend and then (2) bags of Cotton Burr Compost. For
annuals cap it off with one pound of 17-00-09. Plant annuals through this topdressed
area. With this mixture, every time you water your plants are getting a
“compost tea” full of nutrients.
Test your soil after 30 days and
add any other amendments that your soil test indicates you need.
Always read, understand and follow product label. The
product label is a Federal Law.
