the essentials in brief
- A Soil activator improves depleted soils by mobilizing exhausted microorganisms and living beings. This promotes soil fertility and humus formation for vital plant growth.
- Good soil activator products contain only organic ingredients and natural minerals.
- Oscorna Floor Activator 25 kg is the test winner in terms of benefit, experience and price / performance ratio.
What is soil activator
A soil activator helps to create a healthy soil
Soil activator is an organic soil additive with a slight fertilizing effect. Various influencing factors throw the natural cycle off course in the soil. Construction work, Monoculture or heavy rain compacts the earth and drives indispensable soil organisms to flight. A fatal consequence is one that is biologically doomed Garden soilin which humus production has come to a standstill. Because healthy plants can only grow in healthy soil, the call for a problem solver becomes loud.
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This task is fulfilled by a soil activator in the form of granules with a high proportion of purely natural ingredients. The Oscorna soil activator is in charge. For more than 80 years, the company has been using its products for natural floor care that consistently avoids artificial, chemical additives. These efforts culminated in 1985 with the development of the first soil activator. The various benefits are obvious:
- permanent soil fertility: ideal combination of organic substances and natural minerals
- active soil life: increased number of microorganisms and earthworms
- improved soil structure: crumbly, airy, loosely permeable soil without the risk of waterlogging
- regenerated water and nutrient balance: better storage of water, optimal binding of nutrients
- stable pH: included Algae lime prevents fluctuations in the pH value
With a soil activator you can restore the natural cycle in the soil. They put the soil life in a position, henceforth, new, nutritious ones humus to produce for a splendid plant growth.
Composition in detail
A soil activator consists largely of compost
Various manufacturers offer soil activator products that do not differ significantly in terms of their composition. The main components are herbal substances with valuable supplements on board to revitalize tired soil in a natural way:
- 65% organic substances: compost, Biochar, Clay particles, algae lime, ground mineral rock (basalt flour, zeolite, dolomite powder)
- 1-4% nitrogen from organic substances such as cocoa shells, coconut, hoof meal, grape seeds
- 1-3% phosphorus for better crumb formation and oxygen supply
- 0.5-5% potassium to strengthen the cell tissue, for better water absorption, lush green leaves and juicy fruits
In addition, high-quality soil activator products have dormant microorganisms with them, such as Azotobacter bacteria. These and other bacterial strains have the ingenious ability to make insoluble nutrients in the soil available to plants. In the ground, the inactive helpers wake up and supplement existing life. As the population grows, the humus production increases and a previously exhausted soil becomes afloat again.
Just put something in the ground earthworm can digest (guiding principle of the manufacturer for Oscorna soil activator)
How to use soil activator
The knowledgeable use of a soil activator is closely related to the crop in question and the occasion. The following table gives an overview:
| Culture / occasion | dosage |
|---|---|
| Soil improvement | 150-200 g / m² |
| vegetables | |
| - Leafy vegetables | 100-150 g / m² |
| - fruit vegetables | 150-200 g / m² |
| fruit | 100-200 g / m² |
| Perennials, flowers | 100-150 g / m² |
| Ornamental shrubs | 200-300 g / m² |
| Conifers | 150-250 g / m² |
| hedge | 200 g / running. m |
| race | 100-200 g / m² |
When planting trees and bushes in the garden or park, a soil activator ensures ideal starting conditions. Add 100 to 200 granules per 10 liters of soil to each planting hole.
Soil activator application
Soil activator is best applied in late winter / early spring
When you apply soil activator is basically your horticultural decision. The best time for natural soil improvement is in spring from March. The time window remains open until October. As long as the earth is not frozen, nothing speaks against the use of a soil activator. The garden season ends with a warm Indian summer, weather conditions are sometimes sufficiently mild until December. The application itself is very easy, as the following instructions make clear:
- Rake the soil, pull weeds, remove roots and stones
- Soil activator by hand or with the Gritter to distribute
- with rake or Rake Work into the topsoil
- Water the surface
Aimed at the soil improvement sowing In the flower or vegetable patch, we recommend sifting the garden soil in advance. The application on the lawn requires a modified procedure, which is explained in detail in a later section.
Care in the bog bed
When bog plants fail, a calcareous soil activator is out of place. Most soil organisms prefer bed soil with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH value between 6.5 and 7.0. For this reason, many products contain algae lime or a comparable additive. In the bog bed, on the other hand, pH values between 4.5 and 5.5 are required, which shoot up even with a small amount of lime. In this case, use a soil activator without lime, such as Neudorff Terra Preta.
Tips
With a soil activator, you can optimally prepare the soil for roses. So that the queen of flowers unfolds to lavish blooms, sprinkle 4 to 6 weeks before Plant Oscorna Soil Activator on the ground, rake the pellets superficially and water with finer Shower. From now on, give a dose of soil activator every spring when you use your Cut roses.
Soil activator or fertilizer?
A soil activator doesn't last forever; natural fertilization must follow
The natural ingredients in the soil activator serve as the first source of nutrition for soil organisms. Admittedly, this supply will not last forever. Without a replenishment of organic fertilizer, the vitalizing effect will ultimately come to nothing as a result of food shortages for earthworms, woodlice and colleagues. Hobby gardeners are therefore not faced with the question of soil activator or fertilizer? Rather, a combination of both components guarantees a healthy floor full of life. The following fertilizers form a powerful dream team with soil activators:
- Compost, ideally as ripe, sifted Compost soil
- Organic-based fertilizers, such as horn shavings, Horn meal, Equine or Cattle manure as pellets
- Herbal manure, primarily self-made nettle manure
- Mulch, preferably dried grass clippings, leaves, bark mulch
- Green manure, for example lupins, red clover, mustard, buckwheat, legumes or bee friend
The soil activator provided the starting aid. The stimulated soil life throws itself enthusiastically on the organic nutrient buffet and processes it into rich humus. The released nutrients are now available to the ornamental and useful plants for the desired growth.
Digression
Neudorff soil activator Terra Preta
Special case: soil activator for lawns
There is a special soil activator for lawns
If you use the combination of soil activator and organic fertilizer regularly, the supply gap in the soil closes over time and the soil activator can be omitted. This does not apply to your green business card. Lawn is a pure monoculture that loses organic matter every time it is mowed, which should actually be available for soil maintenance. Unless you don't Mulching mower use a soil activator as an effective means for a lush green lawn without moss and felt. The following guide explains step by step how to do it right:
- Mow the lawn deeply
- Green area lengthways and crossways scarify
- Sweep the combed out lawn thatch
- Soil activator with Gritter distribute evenly (200 g / m²)
- optionally apply soil activator and fertilizer at the same time
- Water the lawn and do not mow for at least 1 week
Soil activator and Lawn fertilizer are not only compatible, they complement each other. For best effectiveness, the lawn should always be sprinkled afterwards. In dry weather, repeat watering on the following days until no more granules can be seen.
Products and dealers - overview
The Oscorna Floor Activator set a good example. Competent manufacturers took up the concept with their own soil activator products. Much has happened in the market since Oscorna's first floor activator more than 30 years ago. We looked around looking for recommended products and dealers:
| Products | price | Dealers |
|---|---|---|
| Oscorna soil activator | from 1.28 EUR / kg | Obi |
| Cuxin soil activator | from 1.40 EUR / kg | Toom |
| Neudorff Terra Petra | from 1.30 EUR / kg | Hornbach |
| Keyser's soil activator | from 7.90 EUR / kg | QVC |
| Dehner organic soil activator | from 3.25 EUR / kg | Stretcher |
| Emiko soil activator liquid | from 5.00 EUR / l | Amazon |
| Compo organic soil activator | from 1.30 EUR / kg | Ebay |
| EM soil activator liquid | from 6.83 EUR / l | Raiffeisen markets |
| AZET turf activator | from 2.00 EUR / kg | |
| MANNA soil activator | from 1.40 EUR / kg |
Please note that this overview does not claim to be complete. Three products are out of the ordinary. The Cuxin soil activator because the product does not have a purely biological composition. Furthermore, the price of the Keyzers floor activator from QVC is several times that of all other products. The Aldi soil activator can be bought sporadically in spring, mostly in April.
frequently asked Questions
Which soil activator is good in the test?
An organic soil activator is a great choice
There are two products that go head-to-head every year in the soil activator test. Oscorna Soil Activator was last in the lead in 2020, closely followed by Neudorff Terra Preta Soil Activator. Customer experience, effectiveness, distributability, benefit and price / performance ratio were evaluated. The test winner on points was and is Oscorna Floor Activator 25 kg. The other places are followed by the liquid Emiko garden and soil activator and the Cuxin soil activator. The latter, however, does not deserve the title organic, due to chemical-mineral additives.
When should you use a soil activator?
The natural soil additive scores with a wide range of possible uses. A soil activator is highly recommended as a start-up aid when setting up a new garden and lawn, as well as when planting and sowing in beds or planters. The product promises high utility value as a problem solver for general soil improvement when your plants are worried or the lawn is matted with moss and weeds.
Can you use soil activator and fertilizer at the same time?
Soil activator and fertilizer go well with each other in garden soil. In fact, both products complement each other and form a congenial duo. Because the soil activator only contains a small proportion of natural fertilizers, the reserves for the life in the soil are quickly used up. For this reason, it makes sense to apply soil activator and organic fertilizer at the same time.
How often should you use a soil activator in the garden?
You can use a soil activator either before, during or after soil cultivation. If you are creating and replanting beds or lawns, the soil improver should do the same be close at hand, as for later maintenance work between perennials, flowers and woody plants as well as on Green spaces. One to two applications a year are recommended, ideally between March and October.
Do you always have to scarify the lawn or can you sprinkle a soil activator immediately?
You can apply a soil activator all year round. If you are planning to scarify a moss-covered lawn anyway, please sprinkle the lawn activator afterwards. Otherwise the valuable granulate will be removed involuntarily. Scarifying the lawn is of course not mandatory every year. For this reason, you can easily spread a soil activator on the freshly mown lawn and rain it in.
Should a soil activator be used in the vegetable patch before or after fertilizing?
The use of soil activators is not tied to a strict schedule. You can sprinkle the natural soil additive in the vegetable patch during the entire growing season. Whether you add your garden soil before or after Fertilize Help on the jumps is at your discretion. Due to the good compatibility, you can even distribute soil activator products and fertilizers at the same time.
My Oscorna floor activator in a 25 kg sack is dust dry. How can microorganisms still live in it at all?
Dry framework conditions cause microorganisms to fall into a dormant state. This process has no adverse effects on viability. In contact with moisture, the microorganisms perk up and get to work straight away. For this reason, it is important that you water the bedding soil or lawn thoroughly after application.
Tips
The Oscorna soil activator in is of beneficial use Clay soil on a new building plot. Under the influence of construction work and heavy equipment, the fine-crumbly clay structure tends to become compacted and waterlogged. As part of the improvement measures for the purpose of creating your dream garden, work in 200 to 250 grams of soil activator per square meter and pour it in again.
