Addition of sand to improve soil
- To:
- Subject: Addition of sand to improve soil
- From: j*@mindspring.com
- Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 22:02:55 -0500
Pumpkinguy-
It is true that on a small scale you can change the soil structure to
whatever type most benefits the crop you are trying to produce. Greenhouses
and golf courses do it all the time. The problem with recommending addition
of sand is the guesswork involved. Your recommendation, that it "might
take 2-3 inches of sand to tiller depth", is just a guess.
There is more to soil blending than guessing. It is possible that by
guessing you can wind up with 70-80% clay with 20-30% sand. This is the
worst blend possible. On the soil textural triangle this would be a silt to
silt loam, but it would be worse than the clay as far as drainage. How does
a novice, or even an expert gardener begin to decide the correct quantities
and make an educated cost v. benefit analysis. A gardener may decide to add
sand, but then may not be able to continue (cost or frustration) because it
is a much greater quantity than expected. You can discuss percentages of
different particles, but most gardeners would have no clue on what
measurement the percentages are based to make an accurate calculation. My
question is do you know what measurement the percentages you quote are
based? If you don't understand this, you are again guessing.
Also, most gardeners will not take into consideration the size of the
sand. If you do not purchase a uniform particle size sand, you will get
closer to the concrete I talked of in my first e-mail. Most people would
buy the cheapest mason sand available and encounter this problem. A uniform
sand is very expensive.
Addition of organic matter (o.m.) is the easiest way to improve your
soil. That is why I recommend this to Mr. Failor. There are really no
calculations needed, and it is usually inexpensive. Adding o.m. will not
change the structure (particle size distribution), but it will stimulate the
formation of granular and crumb-type aggregates. As o.m. decomposes gels
produced from microbial exudates and activity encourages crumb formation.
This binds the microscopic clay particles into the small crumbs. You then
get a more stable soil with more pore space, and it WILL improve drainage
both vertically and horizontally.
Adding sand is a drastic and more costly method than adding large
quantities of o.m. It is best to try to do the simple gardening technique
of adding o.m. first, before adding sand that may cause more harm. Remember
that the devil you know is always better than the devil you don't know.
I have not sent any qualifications prior, but I felt that it was
necessary this time. Any more questions?
John J. Pritchard
B.S. Agriculture Ohio State University 1993
Agronomy Major (Plant and Soil Science)
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