Choosing The Right Organic Soil Amendments And Mulches (Part 2)
The following is a list of additional soil amendments to layer on or dig into your soils.
Hay and straw: Hay and straw are generally inexpensive sources of organic material. They are relatively low in nutrients but will give soil a big boost in humus. They are available directly from farms or from any source that serves livestock owners. Hay usually carries seeds of weed plants that mature earlier than the grasses in the field where it was cut. A hay mulch is also a favorite habitat for rodents and slugs. If you have been having mouse or slug problems, think twice about using hay, or refine your techniques to minimize damage. Straw generally carries few weed seeds, since most of these seeds were removed in the same process that separated the grain seed from the straw. Straw mulch also holds up better over a growing season than a hay mulch.
Peat moss: Peat mosses, including sphagnum peat moss, are remains of aquatic plants
that have been deposited in locations not favorable for their quick breakdown due to high
water tables and/or extended periods of cold temperatures. The pH of peat moss is acidic,
ranging from 3.0 to 4.5. The nitrogen content is low and the water-absorbing capacity is very high. Peat moss is a useful soil amendment around acid-loving plants such as azaleas, pine hemlock, and spruce. Peat humus or sedge peat, also known as reed peat or humus, can be used in the same manner as peat moss. Sedge peat or peat humus is dark brown to black and is relatively high in nitrogen (2.0 to 3.5%). It has a lower water-absorbing capacity than peat moss, and it will break down more quickly in the soil.
Sawdust: Use sawdust as a mulch or soil amendment only after it has aged. Some types of sawdust contain natural chemicals that can act as herbicides. If you put fresh sawdust on or in your soil, it may temporarily sterilize the soil. Fresh sawdust also needs nitrogen to break down, so it robs nitrogen from your plants, unless extra nitrogen is mixed in with it. Aged sawdust is very low in nitrogen. If you apply it to nitrogen-demanding crops such as vegetables or annual flowers, mix it with some manure or compost to supply nitrogen. If the compost has aged for 2 years or more and has turned black, you do not need to add nitrogen when you apply it.
Wood chips: Bark and wood chips are often used as mulches. They work well to keep down weeds in established ornamental beds or plantings of perennial herbs. Like sawdust, these materials contain much more carbon than nitrogen. As soil microorganisms slowly digest
these mulches, their populations swell. However, the microbes also need nitrogen to build their cells, so they may tie up soil nitrogen that plants need for optimum growth. Avoid this problem by spreading 1 inch of compost or well-aged manure before laying down wood chips or bark. Observe the plants carefully in succeeding seasons; you may need to water with a
nitrogen-rich solution of manure tea or fish emulsion if the plants show signs of deficiency.
Locally available materials: You may find natural materials or manufacturing by-products in your area that serve as valuable soil amendments and mulches. Gardeners who live near the ocean may be able to collect seaweed. Rinse it well before adding it to your garden or compost pile. Other possible materials include cheese whey, nut shells, mushroom soil, and ground corn cobs. If you’re getting an agricultural by-product, be sure to ask whether the source crops were treated with pesticides. The by-products could contain residues of these chemicals.
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