what are some examples of soil ameliorants?

Answer 1

"Ameliorant" means "something that helps.

In the case of soil, you're usually talking about stuff that makes the soil more pleasant for plants to grow in and/or provides nutrients for the plants.

For instance, sand or peat don't add a whole lot of nutritional value (well, peat has some nutrients, but not a ton) but they make clumpy or clayey soils drain better and they make soils easier for roots to grow through. Clay is good at holding water, but it can be too heavy for tender baby roots to grow through (and sometimes, it's too wet for a plant.)

Chemical fertilizer does pretty much nothing to enhance soil quality as far as texture, but it can put in some nutrients for plants. It's not an ideal ameliorant.

Excellent ameliorants are compost and rotted manure. They're both soft, fairly light, good for drainage, and wonderful sources of nutrients. Rotted manure (DON'T use fresh--it uses up nitrogen as it rots and it stinks like hell!) is soft, crumbly, black, and a joy to work with. Gardeners KILL for good soil--good compost and rotted manure can help a lot.

Work some ameliorants into bad soil and you can turn around a pitiful garden.

Answer 2

Soil Ameliorants

Answer 3

Not an easy term to find a definition for at all!
ESweatPea's answer pretty well summed up it up.
"Something that helps" is a great description.
An ameliorant is something that helps. Helps improve soil drainage, slows drainage, breaks up soil or binds soil, feeds and improves structure etc. It's something that helps or improves the soil.
Poor undernourished sandy soil for instance could have manure dug in as an ameliorant as a binding agent. Heavy clay soil might use lime or grit as an ameliorant to break it up and let in the air.
As far as I understand it, it is indeed something that helps your soil, mainly in terms of structure, but this isn't the limit of the benefits of soil ameliorants.
Hope this helps and Happy Gardening.

Answer 4

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In arid conditions especially, soil naturally compacts into what is called "hard pan." It can be extremely difficult to dig through when attempting to plant a tree, for example. This is the result of much time, little water, and possible neglect. Another way is for the area to be constantly trodden, e.g., paths or dirt roads, compressing the grains together. So when our feelings are trampled or chaotic, it's a little hard to make place for the good word.

Answer 5

It would depend on the soil type to start with.

frost (for heavy clays) and like Ian said, lime will too.
rotted manure (for loam and sand)

The main purpose is either to improve drainage or to add structure so the nutrients don't leech so easily.

Answer 6

You need to know how much current and the operating voltage each appliance uses, and the amount of time it is operating. All appliances indicate how much current or wattage they use. You also need to know the cost of electricity, usually expressed in kilowatts.

Add them up and you have it.