Soil is so precious and we need to look after it to ensure our crops get the best sustenance as they grow. But if your soil is looking a bit tired and spent, how about trying one of these organic soil improvers to give it a bit of a boost?
ROCKETGRO SOIL IMPROVER
Made by RocketGro (at their farm in Somerset) from composted maize, rye and grass, this is a 100% organic, chemical-free, peat-free and vegan friendly soil improver which can be used all year round. It can be dug into existing beds or laid on top of the soil if you’re using the no-dig method. It will feed soil for three months, and it can also add it to potted plants and containers.
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THE ORGANIC GARDENING CATALOGUE
www.organiccatalogue.com
TEL: 0333 240 0776
PRODUCT CODE: KF3013
PRICE FROM: £18.99 per 50L bag
KG VERDICT
This has a lovely, soft, fibrous feel to it providing the essential nutrients required for healthy plants – NPK: 4.4:2.3:5.6, plus micro-nutrients magnesium and sulphur. It will improve the texture of your soil, fostering better moisture retention and at the same time encouraging biodiversity! Soil Association approved and sustainably sourced. An excellent soil enricher.
6X NATURAL FIBROUS FERTILISER
Fully composted and weed free, this is a highly concentrated and 100% natural chicken fertiliser will only need one application. One sack is deemed to be the equivalent to six to eight sacks of farm manure. It contains all the nutrients and trace elements that plants need as well as conditioning the soil at the same time. Gloves are recommended if you are allergic to chickens or feathers.
VITAX
www.gardenworld.co.uk
TEL: Go online for stockists
PRODUCT CODE: N/A
PRICE GUIDE: £10-13 per 15kg bag
KG VERDICT
This fine textured fertiliser is very versatile and offers good value for money. You can use it to refresh lawns, improve the consistency and fertility of your veg patch, or add it to your compost bin to generate heat. It can also be mixed with water to provide a liquid feed or mixed in small doses with compost for growing in containers. Concentrated and with a slow release into the soil, you can expect a long and consistent enrichment of soil. NPK: 3:2.5:2.2
RHS SYLVAGROW FARMYARD MANURE/SOIL IMPROVER
This organic peat-free soil improver be mixed in with bed and border soil. It will promote a healthy soil structure along with good moisture retention and increase fertility. Made from an anaerobic digestate, a by-product of UK renewable energy production, this soil improver is sustainable and is RHS endorsed.
DOBIES
www.dobies.co.uk
TEL: 0333 240 5933
PRODUCT CODE: KC3787
PRICE GUIDE: £19.99 for 50L bag
KG VERDICT
This soil improver has a crumbly fibrous texture, perfect for mulching borders, around trees, on vegetable plots and raised beds, or mixing in with existing soil. A gradual feeder, it will help soil improve its fertility, retain water and suppress weeds, though it is not suitable for acid-loving, ericaceous plants such as blueberries. This is a super soil improver which with its organic matter and nutrients will give your soil a welcome boost.
ORGANIC EXTRA FERTILISER AND SOIL IMPROVER
Made from farmyard manure with added seaweed extract, Organic Extra Fertiliser is a peat-free soil improver which steadily releases nutrients into the soil. There is sufficient to cover a 23ft by 7ft (7m x 2m) plot up to 30 times. It can be used for everything from vegetables and fruits to flowers and houseplants. NPK: 5:3:3
MARSHALLS GARDEN
www.marshallsgarden.com
TEL: 01480 774555
PRODUCT CODE: 10904605
PRICE: £24.99 for 44L bag
KG VERDICT
This is a super-concentrated fertiliser, so you only need a small amount making it pretty economical. It has given good results so far as a soil conditioner for brassicas and salads on the KG plot and is much lighter and more convenient than using well-rotted manure. It is versatile too, suitable for use as a soil conditioner, dug in during the autumn, as a tonic around established veggies through the growing season or as a soil conditioner, dug in prior to planting young plants. You can even ‘steep’ the whole bag in a water butt to produce your own liquid feed.
BOKASHI SOIL IMPROVER
Made from the fermentation of straw flour and apple pulp, this organic soil improver releases nutrients slowly, retaining carbon and nitrogen. It will help to retain moisture in the soil, preventing nutrients leaching and stimulating microbial life. NPK?
GARDENING NATURALLY
www.gardening-naturally.com
TEL: 01285 760505
PRODUCT CODE: BSI23
PRICE: £29.99 for 25kg bag
KG VERDICT
This soil improver can be worked into existing beds, with one bag sufficient for 25 – 50m². It will reactivate the microbiotic life in the soil, encouraging biodiversity and a health ecosystem. It contains many metabolic elements such as natural antibiotics, growth hormones and organic acids which are produced as part of the fermentation process and are beneficial to plant growth. As the material is a little course, it is not suitable for seedlings or cuttings.
