Soil activator is a natural freshening treatment for depleted, exhausted soil. An organic wake-up call sounds for vital organisms in the bed soil. Your plants benefit from this with vital, he althy growth. In this guide, read everything you need to know about soil activators with practical tips on how to use them correctly in beds and lawns.
What is a soil activator good for?
Soil activator revitalizes depleted soil by promoting the growth of microorganisms and supporting humus formation. It consists of organic materials and natural minerals that stimulate soil life and improve soil structure, water and nutrient retention.
- A soil activator improves depleted soils by mobilizing exhausted microorganisms and living creatures. This promotes soil fertility and humus formation for vital plant growth.
- Good soil activator products only contain organic ingredients and natural minerals.
- Oscorna soil activator 25 kg is the test winner in terms of benefits, experience and price/performance ratio.
What is Soil Activator
A soil activator helps create he althy soil
Soil activator is an organic soil additive with a slight fertilizing effect. A variety of influencing factors disrupt the natural cycle in the soil. Construction work, monoculture or heavy rain compact the earth and force essential soil organisms to flee. The fatal consequence is a biologically doomed garden soil in which humus production has come to a standstill. Because he althy plants only grow in he althy soil, there is a growing call for a problem solver.
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 to provide natural floor care that consistently avoids the use of artificial, chemical additives. These efforts culminated in 1985 with the development of the first soil activator. The diverse benefits are clear:
- 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, loose-permeable soil without the risk of waterlogging
- regenerated water and nutrient balance: better storage of water, optimal binding of nutrients
- stable pH value: contained algae lime prevents fluctuations in the pH value
Use a soil activator to restore the natural cycle in the soil. They enable soil life to produce new, nutritious humus for magnificent plant growth.
Composition in detail
A soil activator consists largely of compost
Various manufacturers offer soil activator products that do not have any serious differences in terms of composition. The main components are plant-based substances with valuable supplements on board to naturally revitalize tired soil:
- 65% organic substances: compost, biochar, clay particles, algal lime, ground mineral rock (bas alt 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 cell tissue, for better water absorption, lush green leaves and juicy fruits
In addition, high-quality soil activator products contain dormant microorganisms, such as Azotobacter bacteria (€10.00 at Amazon). 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 become awake and supplement the life that is already there. As the population grows, humus production increases and previously exhausted soil becomes buoyant again.
Only put into the soil what an earthworm can digest (manufacturer's guiding principle for Oscorna soil activator)
How to use soil activator?
The competent use of a soil activator is closely related to the crop in question and the occasion. The following table provides 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 |
| Lawn | 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 into each planting hole.
Soil activator application
Soil activator is best applied in late winter/early spring
When you apply soil activator is essentially 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, there is nothing wrong with using a soil activator. If the gardening season ends with a warm Indian summer, the weather conditions may be sufficiently mild until December. The application itself is extremely simple, as the following instructions make clear:
- rake the soil, pull weeds, remove roots and stones
- Distribute soil activator by hand or with a spreader
- work into the topsoil with a rake or rake
- Water the area
If the soil improvement is aimed at sowing in flower or vegetable beds, we recommend sieving the garden soil in advance. Application on the lawn requires a modified procedure, which will be explained in detail in a later section.
Be careful in the moorland
If ericaceous plants are weak, 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 peat beds, however, pH values between 4.5 and 5.5 are required, which skyrocket even with small amounts of lime. In this case, use a soil activator without lime, such as from Neudorff.
Terra Preta is also easy to make yourself. You can find out how in detail in this article.
Tip
Use a soil activator to optimally prepare the soil for roses. To ensure that the queen of flowers develops into lavish blooms, sprinkle Oscorna soil activator on the ground 4 to 6 weeks before planting, rake the pellets in on the surface and water with a fine spray. From now on, administer a dose of soil activator every spring when you cut your 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. Of course, this supply won't last forever. Without replenishment of organic fertilizer, the vitalization effect ultimately comes to nothing due to a lack of food 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 he althy soil 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, horse or cattle dung as pellets
- Plant manure, primarily home-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 ground activator provided the starting aid. The stimulated soil life enthusiastically pounces on the organic nutrient buffet and processes it into rich humus. The released nutrients are now available to ornamental and useful plants for the desired growth.
Excursus
Neudorff soil activator Terra Preta
Neudorff is breaking new ground with its soil activator Terra Preta. The composition consists predominantly of thermally produced biochar, modeled on the legendary “black Indian earth”, supplemented with rock dust, microorganisms, soil fungi and organic ingredients. The biochar loosens the soil and stores water and nutrients. Microorganisms and soil fungi stimulate soil life so that nutrients become available to plants. The modified ingredients compared to Oscorna Soil Activator have proven to be just as effective in gardening practice, with a significant improvement in soil quality. Read this article to find out how you can make biochar yourself.
Special case: soil activator for lawn
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 will close over time and the soil activator can be eliminated. This does not apply to your green business card. Lawn is a pure monoculture that loses organic mass with every mowing that should actually be available for soil maintenance. Unless you use a mulching mower, a soil activator is an effective way to ensure a lush green lawn without moss and thatch. The following instructions explain step by step how to do it correctly:
- Mowing the lawn deeply
- Scarify green areas lengthwise and crosswise
- sweeping away combed lawn thatch
- Distribute soil activator evenly with a spreader (200 g/m²)
- optionally apply soil activator and fertilizer at the same time
- Water the lawn and don't mow it for at least 1 week
Soil activator and lawn fertilizer are not only compatible, but complement each other. For best effectiveness, the lawn should always be blown afterwards. In dry weather, repeat watering on the following days until no more granules are visible.
Products and dealers – overview
The Oscorna soil activator set a good example. Competent manufacturers took up the concept with their own soil activator products. A lot has happened on the market since Oscorna's first soil activator more than 30 years ago. We looked around looking for recommended products and retailers:
| Products | Price | Dealer |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Dehner |
| 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 Lawn Soil 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 stand out. The Cuxin soil activator because the product does not have a purely biological composition. Furthermore, the price of the Keyzers soil activator from QVC exceeds all other products several times over. Aldi's soil activator is available sporadically in spring, usually in April.
Frequently asked questions
Which soil activator is good in the test?
An organic soil activator is a good choice
There are two products that compete head-to-head in the soil activator test every year. Oscorna soil activator was most recently in the lead in 2020, closely followed by Neudorff Terra Preta soil activator. Customer experience, effectiveness, distributability, benefits and price/performance ratio were evaluated. The test winner based on points was and is Oscorna soil activator 25 kg. The liquid Emiko garden and soil activator and the Cuxin soil activator follow in the other places. However, the latter does not deserve the label 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 starting aid when creating a new garden and lawn as well as when planting and sowing in beds or planters. The product promises a high level of utility as a problem solver for general soil improvement if your plants are struggling or the lawn is matted with moss and weeds.
Can you use soil activator and fertilizer at the same time?
Soil activator and fertilizer get along excellently 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 soil life 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 tillage. When you create and plant new beds or lawns, the soil additive should be ready to hand, as well as for later care work between perennials, flowers and trees as well as on green areas. One or two applications a year are recommended, ideally between March and October.
Do you always have to scarify the lawn or can you spread a soil activator straight away?
You can apply a soil activator all year round. If you are planning to scarify a mossy lawn anyway, please spread the lawn soil activator afterwards. Otherwise the valuable granules will be involuntarily removed. Of course, scarifying the lawn is not mandatory every year. For this reason, you can easily spread a soil activator on the freshly mown lawn and rain it down.
Should a soil activator be used in the vegetable patch before or after fertilizing?
The application of soil activators is not tied to a strict schedule. You can spread the natural soil additive in the vegetable patch throughout the growing season. Whether you give your garden soil a boost before or after fertilizing is up to your discretion. Due to their good compatibility, you can even distribute soil activator products and fertilizer at the same time.
My Oscorna soil activator in the 25 kg bag is bone dry. How can microorganisms still live in it?
Dry conditions cause microorganisms to enter a dormant state. This process has no adverse effects on viability. When they come into contact with moisture, the microorganisms become alert and immediately get to work. For this reason, it is important that you water the bed soil or lawn thoroughly after application.
Tip
The Oscorna soil activator is beneficial in clay soil on a new building plot. Under the influence of construction work and heavy equipment, the fine-crumb clay structure tends to become compacted and waterlogged. As part of the improvement measures to create your dream garden, work in 200 to 250 grams of soil activator per square meter and add water.
