Soil Amendments

January 1, 2020
  • Soil Amendments

Soil Amendments for Soil?

Clay soil is common around the Omaha area, and is a very poor nutrient source to grow a healthy lawn. Adding soil amendments such as Gypsum, Lime, SuperCal Humic or Triplicity to clay soil can help to recondition, break up, and loosen clay soil. A soil test is always recommended to determine the application rates of these products

Soil is primarily made up of a varying combination of sand, silt, and clay particles. Clay soil is composed of mostly clay particles. Clay soil sticks to shoes and garden tools like glue, forms big clods that aren’t easy to separate, and crusts over and cracks in dry weather. Clay soil compacts easily, making it difficult for plant roots to grow. These soil amendments penetrate the millions of fine clay particles in soils creating air and moisture spaces that eventually loosen and break-up the soil structure.

Gypsum

Gypsum is neutral, non-toxic to humans and animals and does not burn turf. Gypsum has been used for lawn applications to reduce soil compaction, improve soil structure, increase air movement, and prevent reduce water run-off by preventing soil crusting.

Gypsum also has the ability to dislodge sodium (salt) in the soil. This ability of Gypsum may be the most useful of all because of the damaging effects salt has on lawns and plant materials in the landscape. Our Gypsum is OMRI Listed.

Lime

Lime is applied to the soil of home lawns to increase the soil pH. Soil pH, a measure of the soil’s acidity or alkalinity, can directly influence the vigor and quality of the home lawn. When the pH is below 7.0, the soil is said to be acidic; when above 7.0, it is alkaline. Our lime is OMRI Listed.

SuperCal Humic

SuperCal Humic is a pelletized OMRI listed, humic product mixed with calcium and sulfur that provides nutrients, chelating agents, buffering properties, and biological stimulation. It improves plant, tree & turf uptake of soil nutrients, increases soil water holding capacity, reduces leaching and provides organic matter to the soil.

Triplicity

Triplicity is a triple activated, OMRI listed, soil additive that combines three naturally occurring materials (Calcium Carbonate, Pure Cane Sugar and Humate) into a homogenous prill designed to neutralize soil pH, increase organic matter and increase beneficial soil organisms.

Fertilizing Program

You will need to add these soil amendments regularly for an extended amount of time to receive the full benefits, depending on the soil test. A yearly application for a minimum of at least three years may be recommended to help improve clay soil conditions. It should be noted that these soil amendments do not contain any major plant nutrients, so it will still be necessary to continue a regular fertilizing program.

To sign up for any of these soil amendments please contact Omaha Organics Lawn Care so we can do a soil test.  We can apply these product for you or sell them as part of our DIY program.