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In general usage, the term "soil conditioner" is often thought of as a subset of the category soil amendments (or soil improvement, soil condition), which more often is understood to include a wide range of fertilizers and non-organic materials. [1] In the context of construction soil conditioning is also called soil stabilization.
In classical [1] soil science, humus is the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is a kind of soil organic matter. It is rich in nutrients and retains moisture in the soil. Humus is the Latin word for "earth" or "ground". [2]
The best way to determine if the soil is acidic or deficient in calcium or magnesium is with a soil test which a university can provide with an agricultural education department for under $30.00 for United States residents. [8] Farmers typically become interested in soil testing when they notice a decrease in crop response to applied fertilizer.
A compressed earth block (CEB), also known as a pressed earth block or a compressed soil block, is a building material made primarily from an appropriate mix of fairly dry inorganic subsoil, non-expansive clay, sand, and aggregate. Forming compressed earth blocks requires dampening, mechanically pressing at high pressure, and then drying the ...
Other earth materials include soil blocks typically stabilized with a cement additive and produced with forms or compression. Rammed Earth consists of walls made from moist, sandy soil, or stabilized soil, which is tamped into form work. Walls are a minimum of 12″ thick. Soils should contain about 30% clay and 70% sand. [4]
Soil fertility refers to the ability of soil to sustain agricultural plant growth, i.e. to provide plant habitat and result in sustained and consistent yields of high quality. [3] It also refers to the soil's ability to supply plant/crop nutrients in the right quantities and qualities over a sustained period of time.
An earth structure is a building or other structure made largely from soil. Since soil is a widely available material, it has been used in construction since prehistory . It may be combined with other materials, compressed and/or baked to add strength.
A soil test may be done to analyze the chemistry of a potting mix, despite the mix not necessarily being made of soil. As an approximation for indoor home planting, the mix is generally treated as greenhouse growth medium. The main method is a saturated media extract (SME), which tests the chemical contents of a water extract of the mix.