I really wouldn't worry about adding minerals to clay ... clay is some of the most mineral rich and potentially fertile soil types there is ... what is needed is to improve the structure (which you're doing) in order for the minerals in the clay to be accessible to the roots of your plants.
This was proved by the farmers on the heavy clay of High Suffolk ... improved drainage and the addition of copious quantities of farmyard manure has made what was, a generation ago, almost worthless land, into some of the most productive and valuable in the country.
We got a bit muddled in the quoting earlier, but re this bit of your post:
“My latest batch of soil preparation is underway now. I have two pear and two apple trees being delivered in January, and I want to make sure they go into the healthiest possible growing medium, to act as a precaution against disease. I plan to not reading once the trees are in. In the end I bought 20 litres of fine pumice and 20 litres of fine zeolite. To answer my own question, I found zeolite to be £5 cheaper per 10L and to have much the same properties as pumice. I'll also add organic compost, shredded dried seaweed and some insect frass. I'll use a treatment of Rootgrow, which is a funghi inoculation product. The trees will be bare root, so that will go straight on them. I'll also be doing monthly treatments of compost tea, using a mix of home made worm castings & compost, seaweed, frass and some natural debris from my local woods”
Collectively, wow, that’s a massive amount of soil amendment! Unless you are trying to built life back in to seriously depleted and exhausted ex agricultural or contaminated soil or similarly lifeless ground, I think you may be burning your budget for little gain.
Can I just check, is it actually clay soil you have? What’s your soil PH?
I ask because apples and pears grow happily in straight clay and some organic matter dug in, plus maybe a sprinkling of rootgrow over the bare roots, is really all you really need for those, along with deep watering until established. They are fine with alkaline tap water too. Lots of fertilising product will kill the rootgrow fungi so add after planting as a top dressing if needed.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
We got a bit muddled in the quoting earlier, but re this bit of yoits a clay soilur post:
“My latest batch of soil preparation is underway now. I have two pear and two apple trees being delivered in January, and I want to make sure they go into the healthiest possible growing medium, to act as a precaution against disease. I plan to not reading once the trees are in. In the end I bought 20 litres of fine pumice and 20 litres of fine zeolite. To answer my own question, I found zeolite to be £5 cheaper per 10L and to have much the same properties as pumice. I'll also add organic compost, shredded dried seaweed and some insect frass. I'll use a treatment of Rootgrow, which is a funghi inoculation product. The trees will be bare root, so that will go straight on them. I'll also be doing monthly treatments of compost tea, using a mix of home made worm castings & compost, seaweed, frass and some natural debris from my local woods”
Collectively, wow, that’s a massive amount of soil amendment! Unless you are trying to built life back in to seriously depleted and exhausted ex agricultural or contaminated soil or similarly lifeless ground, I think you may be burning your budget for little gain.
Can I just check, is it actually clay soil you have? What’s your soil PH?
I ask because apples and pears grow happily in straight clay and some organic matter dug in, plus maybe a sprinkling of rootgrow over the bare roots, is really all you really need for those, along with deep watering until established. They are fine with alkaline tap water too. Lots of fertilising product will kill the rootgrow fungi so add after planting as a top dressing if needed.
It's a clay soil. I actually had two apple trees previously, and they were a bit sick with lots of leaf curl, and ant-aphid farming. So this is an attempt to do better. What fertilising product in particular do you think will kill the root grow?
I have a small garden and am happy to invest to get it working from the best possible foundation.
I will make sure I dress the top with lots of well rotted manure.
What would you use? Fine bark? Leaf mould? I will be using a lot of organic compost. Is that enough or should I use more?
I would probably go with composted bark fines to dig in, and mulch with bark chips, which will gradually get turned into the soil as well. If you can get your hands on partially composted bark or woodchip - i.e. not the fresh stuff, but not fully composted either - I expect that would be brilliant for improving soil structure. You should avoid digging organic matter too deeply into a clay soil, because without oxygen it can decay anaerobically - which is not good news for plants.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
What would you use? Fine bark? Leaf mould? I will be using a lot of organic compost. Is that enough or should I use more?
I would probably go with composted bark fines to dig in, and mulch with bark chips, which will gradually get turned into the soil as well. If you can get your hands on partially composted bark or woodchip - i.e. not the fresh stuff, but not fully composted either - I expect that would be brilliant for improving soil structure. You should avoid digging organic matter too deeply into a clay soil, because without oxygen it can decay anaerobically - which is not good news for plants.
Fine, partially rotted bark it is. I will see if I can get some.
This thread went a bit mad so I haven't read it all, but if it hasn't been mentioned already we often get this product specified when working on sites with deficient soils.
This thread went a bit mad so I haven't read it all, but if it hasn't been mentioned already we often get this product specified when working on sites with deficient soils.
Fair enough, you want to create the best environment possible for healthy growth 😊
Aphids and leaf curl from those won’t take any notice of soil amendments so need dealing with manually.
Any NPK fertiliser, but especially anything high in P, e.g. bonemeal, some composts come enriched with NPK, traces in rock dust (but maybe not enough to be a problem) is contra-indicatory to mycorrhizal fungi. So just check whats in what you are adding.
I use composted pine bark fines to amend my alkaline clay and it works a treat, so I agree with Pete.8 et al on that.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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“My latest batch of soil preparation is underway now. I have two pear and two apple trees being delivered in January, and I want to make sure they go into the healthiest possible growing medium, to act as a precaution against disease. I plan to not reading once the trees are in. In the end I bought 20 litres of fine pumice and 20 litres of fine zeolite. To answer my own question, I found zeolite to be £5 cheaper per 10L and to have much the same properties as pumice. I'll also add organic compost, shredded dried seaweed and some insect frass. I'll use a treatment of Rootgrow, which is a funghi inoculation product. The trees will be bare root, so that will go straight on them. I'll also be doing monthly treatments of compost tea, using a mix of home made worm castings & compost, seaweed, frass and some natural debris from my local woods”
Collectively, wow, that’s a massive amount of soil amendment! Unless you are trying to built life back in to seriously depleted and exhausted ex agricultural or contaminated soil or similarly lifeless ground, I think you may be burning your budget for little gain.
Can I just check, is it actually clay soil you have? What’s your soil PH?
I ask because apples and pears grow happily in straight clay and some organic matter dug in, plus maybe a sprinkling of rootgrow over the bare roots, is really all you really need for those, along with deep watering until established. They are fine with alkaline tap water too. Lots of fertilising product will kill the rootgrow fungi so add after planting as a top dressing if needed.
I have a small garden and am happy to invest to get it working from the best possible foundation.
I will make sure I dress the top with lots of well rotted manure.
This thread went a bit mad so I haven't read it all, but if it hasn't been mentioned already we often get this product specified when working on sites with deficient soils.
https://www.terracottem.com/en
My understanding is its an enriched volcanic mineral composition.
GreenTech can supply it - Its best to call and ask their sales team for the best rates. The product would be Terracottem Universal.
https://www.green-tech.co.uk/
Razz.
Composted bark fines is what I used with very good results.
I got mine from CPA Horticulture - they deliver nationwaide
https://www.cpa-horticulture.co.uk/compost/composted-bark-fines
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Aphids and leaf curl from those won’t take any notice of soil amendments so need dealing with manually.
Any NPK fertiliser, but especially anything high in P, e.g. bonemeal, some composts come enriched with NPK, traces in rock dust (but maybe not enough to be a problem) is contra-indicatory to mycorrhizal fungi. So just check whats in what you are adding.
I use composted pine bark fines to amend my alkaline clay and it works a treat, so I agree with Pete.8 et al on that.