![Waste No Water](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/8091/373945/5dc3b23f04bbd/Waste-No-Water.jpg)
The success of any gardening endeavour begins and ends with the quality of the soil. Most plants require a soil that drains well but retains sufficient moisture and nutrients for plants to grow.
Sandy soils tend to dry out more easily but all soil types — composed of various proportions of sand, silt and clay — can dry out completely under severe drought conditions.
When soils don’t retain moisture they don’t keep nutrients, either. Watersoluble nutrients can leach straight through the soil, out of the reach of plant roots, potentially contaminating groundwater sources.
By using soil amendments to improve moisture retention, we can also improve nutrient retention, thereby reducing garden water and fertiliser requirements, while at the same time improving plant growth — a true win-win outcome.
Soil-amendment products work in different ways: they vary in how well they hold moisture and nutrients and how long they remain effective in the soil.
Let’s examine how various soil amendment products stack up in terms of performance.
ORGANIC MATTER: COMPOST & MANURES
Adding organic matter to sandy soils greatly increases both their water-holding capacity and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The CEC is a measure of the soil’s fertility and nutrient retention; more specifically, it’s the soil’s capacity to hold exchangeable cations — positively charged ions such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), potassium (K+) and ammonium (NH4+) — in a form that is available to plants.
Soil scientists from the US National Center for Appropriate Technology estimated in 2002 that, for every 1 per cent increase in soil organic matter, soil can hold an additional 75,000 litres of water per acre to a depth of 30cm.
Denne historien er fra November - December 2019-utgaven av Good Organic Gardening.
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Denne historien er fra November - December 2019-utgaven av Good Organic Gardening.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
![Glamour girls](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c409ab4dc93/crp_Glamour-girls.jpg)
Glamour girls
EVERYONE LOVES A HARDWORKING ISA BROWN BUT GET A LOAD OF THESE CHIC CHICKENS AND FEATHERED FASHIONISTAS
![FRIED VEG](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c41411ea417/crp_FRIED-VEG.jpg)
FRIED VEG
IT’S POSSIBLE TO ENJOY A FRY-UP IN A DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY WAY BY TURNING TO SOME FRY-FRIENDLY PLANTS
![BEYOND BIG RED](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c41a6eb04df/crp_BEYOND-BIG-RED.jpg)
BEYOND BIG RED
TOMATOES COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES AND COLOURS, SO NOW’S THE TIME TO EXPLORE THEIR INFINITE VARIETY
![EVEN MORE TROPPO](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c32491c5ad8/crp_EVEN-MORE-TROPPO.jpg)
EVEN MORE TROPPO
ANOTHER SENSATIONAL SIX TO CONSIDER FOR YOUR GARDEN — OR YOUR FRUIT SALAD
![LET'S STALK RHUBARB](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c40f021899b/crp_LETS-STALK-RHUBARB.jpg)
LET'S STALK RHUBARB
JUST AS TOMATO IS A FRUIT USED AS A VEGETABLE, RHUBARB IS A VEGETABLE COMMONLY CONSUMED AS A DESSERT
![FOOD OF THE GODS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c4058e00ced/crp_FOOD-OF-THE-GODS.jpg)
FOOD OF THE GODS
THE FLESHY FRUIT OF THE FICUS WAS MUHAMMAD’S FAVOURITE AND BUDDHA FOUND ENLIGHTENMENT UNDER A FIG TREE
![MAKING GOOD BETTER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c41d9eb93a1/crp_MAKING-GOOD.jpg)
MAKING GOOD BETTER
THE IRREPRESSIBLE TV PRESENTER WRITES ABOUT HOW SHE, WITH HUSBAND ANTON AND DAUGHTER FRIDA, TURNED A STEEP HOBART BLOCK INTO A PRODUCTIVE GARDEN
![True lily](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c417732dad4/crp_True-lily.jpg)
True lily
MANY PLANTS ARE CALLED LILIES BUT IT’S THE MEMBERS OF THE GENUS LILIUM THAT ARE THE REAL DEAL
![SALTY BUDS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/814504/61c403da6a8e1/crp_SALTY-BUDS.jpg)
SALTY BUDS
THE CAPER BUSH PRODUCES TWO DISTINCT BUT EQUALLY DELICIOUS, TANGY MORSELS: CAPERS AND CAPERBERRIES
![Ducks on duty](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8091/768731/6171113ae4f17/crp_Ducks-on-duty.jpg)
Ducks on duty
BUSY, VIGILANT, HARD ON GARDEN PESTS AND GENEROUS LAYERS — YOU’VE GOTTA LOVE A DUCK!