There are many complex aspects to soil quality that can affect the growth and health of plants. Soils in different areas have different physical and chemical compositions that can be good or bad for farming. In the case of naturally rich and beneficial soil, over time, nutrients will be depleted. For other soils, plants could not be grown well there naturally. In those cases, a sustainable soil additive will be required for continued farming in those areas. There are a number of different types of fertilizers marketed, but most of these only provide nutrients for the plant.

However, the soil is what really needs adjustment over time. In conditioning the soil, this would provide better water retainment, aeration, nutrient regulation, pH buffering, and toxic contaminant capture to benefits the plants that are grown there.

Luckily, such a product exists! As an added bonus it’s perfectly natural and will stay in the soil for long periods of time and it can be mixed with conventional or organic fertilizers. This product is called Power-Z by Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. Using the natural properties of the mineral zeolite among other synergistic compounds, this sustainable soil additive can improve soil in ways that will increase crop quality and yield while reducing fertilizer nutrient runoff, water use and environment harm caused by excess nutrients seeping into our surface waters.

Here we will look at just four of the many benefits that the sustainable soil additive, Power-Z can provide for agricultural companies.

1. Increases moisture retainment of soil

Farms can experience trouble with keeping their crops and plants properly watered, especially during periods of drought. This can happen regardless of the farm being equipped with an irrigation system. Depending on the soil properties, water can possibly penetrate the ground too quickly or not at all. If it is too fast, the roots will not have time to absorb what they need before it moves beyond their reach. If it can’t penetrate, especially in sloping terrain, it will just gather at the surface and generate runoff. Ideally, enough water to satiate the plants would penetrate the topsoil and remain in that sub-layer so the roots can draw from it as needed. This is possible with the use of Power-Z sustainable soil additive. This media has excellent water absorption abilities and can hold around 60% of its weight. It also releases water well so it doesn’t keep the plants from getting to it. With Power-Z in the topsoil layer or sub-layer, water would be drawn in quickly and easily and then held in place, releasing as the plant requires. Improved moisture retention can cut down on water use and any associated costs.

2. Capture and regulation of fertilizer and soil nutrients

Similar to water, plant nutrients don’t always stay where they are needed. Fertilizers and soils are susceptible to leaching, meaning water dissolves them and draws them away from the solid soil and fertilizer particles. These nutrients end up in groundwater or surface water sources and a good portion of the fertilizing nutrients end up wasted. This leaching occurs underground when the soil is watered, however, if the fertilizer is simply spread above ground, it can be washed away after heavy rainfall.

With the addition of Power-Z to the soil or fertilizer, leaching and washing away is less likely to occur. The media will absorb and retain the nutrients from the soil or fertilizer, along with the few nutrient it also contains. This will prevent leaching nutrients from fertilizers into ground water and surface water sources causing algal blooms and environmental harm. As the root system seeks out the nutrients it needs, the Power-Z medium initiates an ion exchange reaction to happen and the nutrient ions are given up to the plant. Therefore, the nutrients remain within the area of reach of the plant roots and a larger percentage of what is provided is actually used instead of wasted. In addition, because the medium will remain in the soil, its nutrient supply can be regenerated by adding more dissolved nutrients.

3. pH balancing

Most plant guidebooks recommend that soils remain within pH levels of 5.5 and 7. The reason for this range is the way that nutrients are naturally produced and dissolved within the soil. At acidic levels, nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are leached off solid particles and swept away. However, other elements, like aluminum, also dissolve at acidic pH levels. This can lead to the absorption of toxins that will harm the plants. In addition, beneficial bacteria in the soil will slow down their production of nitrogen and phosphorous when they dissolve organic matter at acidic levels. At the other end of the spectrum is alkalinity, which has similar issues with element deficiencies of iron, manganese, and boron, which dissolve better in neutral or slightly acidic soil. Plus, water penetration of soil is more difficult in alkaline soils.

The addition of ammonium rich fertilizers or excessive watering can increase soil acidity and soils can be naturally alkaline or can become alkaline watering with high pH water. Power-Z sustainable soil additive can act as a buffer to soils, preventing extreme changes in pH, particularly into the lower range. Also, it can lessen the effects of more alkaline soil by improving the aeration and porosity of the soil. Therefore, there will be less of a need to add any pH adjustment materials like lime.

4. Absorption of heavy metals and toxic contaminants

Reducing the acidity of soils can help reduce the amount of heavy metals and other toxic substances that are dissolved. Such contaminants persist in soil for hundreds of years and can be detrimental to the development of plant growth. These substances can be removed from irrigation water to prevent further contamination, but removing them from acres of soil is more difficult. However, the uptake of these harmful contaminants by plant root systems can be mitigated with the introduction of Power-Z. This medium can increase the pH of soils to prevent dissolution of heavy metals and toxic substances, but they can also absorb them into their pores so they are not freely available to leach in the topsoil.

Do you want to learn more about the benefits of the sustainable soil additive, Power-Z? Contact the water experts at Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. at 1-877-267-3699 or contact us by email at customersupport@genesiswatertech.com for more information.