Greensand Fertilizer and Soil Conditioner for Gardens

Greensand is often used by organic gardeners as a natural source of potassium. It is available as a sand or sediment type amendment for your soil that can be added as part of the soil prepartion before planting or added later as a top dressing. It comes in various formulations based on the amount of sand, etc. that is mixed in, you can find it as diluted as 0-0-0.1, but it has many trace elements as well.

Not only is it a source of potassium, but as a soil amendment it loosens tight or clay soils. The particles work like sand to prevent keep the soil particles from locking together, resulting in a looser soil structure. It can also work to bind loose soil. In addition it buffers the soil pH to around 6.5.

Greensand is actually mined, much of it in the US, particularly in Texas, Arkansas, Florida, and the sourthern part of New Jersey. Most of these areas were under the ocean at one point.

Greensand is mainly potash and hydrated silicate of iron, but has about 22 trace minerals including potash, iron oxide, silica, lime, magnesia, and phosphoric acid. It is made up mostly of dark greenish grains of glauconite, usually mixed with clay or sand. As a natural mineral it works as a slow release product, and won’t burn your vegetables.

Use of Greensand for Gardening

Greensand, 5 Lbs. $9.95 Store: Gardener’s Supply Company GreenSand 0-0-0.1 $10.95 Store: Yardiac.com Greensand - 40 lb $38.79 Store: Arbico Organics - CLOSED Greensand - 5 lb $10.45 Store: Arbico Organics - CLOSED

Use it when preparing the soil. The application rates will vary based on the exact mix so follow the label suggestions. A common application rate would be 15 to 30 pounds or greensand per 100 square feet of garden, but depending on your soil test more or less may be appropriate.