{"product_id":"soil-conditioner-mineral-mix","title":"Soil Conditioner Mineral Mix","description":"\u003c!-- Dr Forest — Mineral Mix | Mineral Soil Conditioner \u0026 Improver — Shopify Product Description (v1.0 Design System, 5-tab) --\u003e\n\u003c!-- Prefix: mm. Pure CSS radio tabs + checkbox FAQs. No JS, no @import, :root-style variables on .drf-wrap. --\u003e\n\u003c!-- RECIPE (Joe, 5 Sep 2026): 1 part micronised gypsum, 1 part granulated gypsum, 1 part clay minerals, 1\/4 part sea shell meal, 1 part micronised basalt, 1 part granulated basalt = 19\/19\/19\/5\/19\/19 % by weight. Humic\/fulvic fraction REMOVED. --\u003e\n\u003c!-- RATES (Joe, 5 Sep 2026): soil mix trimmed 10-35 -\u003e 10-30 ml\/L; top-dress 1-3 ml\/L every 4-8 wks -\u003e 1-2 ml\/L once per season; beds 50-150 g\/m2 every 6 wks, lawn 50-100 g\/m2 1-2x\/season, backfill 50-75 g unchanged. Coir card dropped. --\u003e\n\u003c!-- SEO (GSC 90d to 4 Sep 2026): page owns \"mineral mix for plants\" pos 3.5 \/ 454 impr \/ 0.88% CTR — kept in title. Zero footprint for soil conditioner\/improver; collection \/collections\/soil-improver owns the head terms. Product targets \"mineral soil conditioner\" (primary) + \"soil improver\" (secondary). --\u003e\n\u003c!-- Nutrient figures: CaO\/SO3 calculated from 38% gypsum (23% Ca, 18% S) + 5% shell; basalt MgO\/Si typical totals. Bulk density ~1.2 g\/ml is an estimate — verify against a weighed cup before printing on a label. --\u003e\n\u003cstyle\u003e\n  .drf-wrap {\n    --drf-grn:        #1B3D2F;\n    --drf-grn-dark:   #0F2A1F;\n    --drf-grn-light:  #E8F0EB;\n    --drf-grn-mid:    #4a7a5e;\n    --drf-cream:      #F5F2EC;\n    --drf-gold:       #C5A55A;\n    --drf-gold-light: #FAF7F0;\n    --drf-muted:      #3A4A40;\n    --drf-white:      #FFFFFF;\n    --drf-border:     #d4cfc5;\n  }\n  \/* ── RESET \u0026 BASE ── *\/\n  .drf-wrap *, .drf-wrap *::before, .drf-wrap *::after { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }\n  .drf-wrap { font-family: 'Jost', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 400; color: #2c2c2c; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.65; width: 100%; max-width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; overflow: hidden; }\n  \/* ── TYPOGRAPHY ── *\/\n  .drf-wrap h2 { font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 2em; color: var(--drf-grn); line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0.5em; 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padding: 1em 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.8em; border-radius: 0; background: var(--drf-white); }\n  .drf-compare-box h4 { margin-top: 0; color: var(--drf-grn); text-transform: none; letter-spacing: 0; font-size: 1.1em; font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif; font-weight: 500; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--drf-gold); padding-bottom: 0.4em; margin-bottom: 0.6em; }\n  \/* ── FAQ ACCORDIONS (square +\/- with 1px gold border) ── *\/\n  .drf-faq { border-bottom: 1px solid var(--drf-border); }\n  .drf-faq:last-child { border-bottom: none; }\n  .drf-faq input[type=\"checkbox\"] { display: none; }\n  .drf-faq-q { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; padding: 0.85em 0; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 500; color: var(--drf-grn); font-size: 0.98em; }\n  .drf-faq-q::after { content: '+'; font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: 300; color: var(--drf-gold); width: 1.5em; height: 1.5em; border-radius: 0; border: 1px solid var(--drf-gold); background: var(--drf-white); display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; flex-shrink: 0; margin-left: 0.6em; }\n  .drf-faq-a { max-height: 0; overflow: hidden; transition: max-height 0.3s ease; font-size: 0.92em; color: var(--drf-muted); line-height: 1.7; }\n  .drf-faq-a \u003e div { padding: 0 0 1em; }\n  .drf-faq input:checked ~ .drf-faq-q::after { content: '\\2212'; background: var(--drf-grn); border-color: var(--drf-grn); color: #fff; }\n  .drf-faq input:checked ~ .drf-faq-a { max-height: 1200px; }\n  \/* ── REFERENCES ── *\/\n  .drf-refs { font-size: 0.78em; color: #8a8a8a; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 1.5em; padding-top: 0.8em; border-top: 1px solid var(--drf-border); }\n  .drf-refs h4 { color: var(--drf-muted); }\n  .drf-refs ol { padding-left: 1.4em; margin: 0; }\n  .drf-refs li { margin-bottom: 0.3em; }\n  \/* ── TABLES ── *\/\n  .drf-wrap table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 1em 0; font-size: 0.92em; }\n  .drf-wrap table th { background: var(--drf-grn); color: #fff; padding: 0.6em 0.8em; text-align: left; font-weight: 500; font-size: 0.8em; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; }\n  .drf-wrap table td { padding: 0.55em 0.8em; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--drf-border); }\n  .drf-wrap table tr:nth-child(even) td { background: #f4f7f4; }\n  \/* ── SIGN-OFF ── *\/\n  .drf-signoff { font-family: 'Cormorant Garamond', Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; font-size: 1.05em; color: var(--drf-muted); margin-top: 1.4em; }\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-wrap\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-tabs-wrap\"\u003e\n\u003cinput checked id=\"drf-mm-tab1\" name=\"drf-mm-tabset\" type=\"radio\"\u003e \u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-tab2\" name=\"drf-mm-tabset\" type=\"radio\"\u003e \u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-tab3\" name=\"drf-mm-tabset\" type=\"radio\"\u003e \u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-tab4\" name=\"drf-mm-tabset\" type=\"radio\"\u003e \u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-tab5\" name=\"drf-mm-tabset\" type=\"radio\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-tab-labels\"\u003e\n\u003clabel for=\"drf-mm-tab1\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/label\u003e \u003clabel for=\"drf-mm-tab2\"\u003eIngredients\u003c\/label\u003e \u003clabel for=\"drf-mm-tab3\"\u003eHow to Use\u003c\/label\u003e \u003clabel for=\"drf-mm-tab4\"\u003eThe Science\u003c\/label\u003e \u003clabel for=\"drf-mm-tab5\"\u003eFAQ\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-panels\"\u003e\n\u003c!-- ═══════════ TAB 1: OVERVIEW ═══════════ --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-panel\" id=\"drf-mm-panel1\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ea mineral soil improver that works in weeks and keeps working for years\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-badge-row\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-badge drf-badge-green\"\u003eSix Minerals\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"drf-badge drf-badge-green\"\u003eFast \u0026amp; Slow Release\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"drf-badge drf-badge-green\"\u003eCalcium \u0026amp; Sulphur\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"drf-badge drf-badge-green\"\u003eSilica \u0026amp; Trace Minerals\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"drf-badge drf-badge-green\"\u003eBlended in Stockport\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"drf-badge drf-badge-green\"\u003ePet \u0026amp; Child Safe\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoil conditioner in this bag is a six-mineral mix: volcanic basalt, gypsum, clay minerals and sea shell meal for calcium, sulphur and CEC. Compost and manure add organic matter. This adds the mineral side: calcium and sulphur that release within weeks, a slow reserve of silicon, magnesium and trace elements that weathers out over years, and clay that gives light or peat-free soil the capacity to hold nutrients between waterings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRock dust is the part most gardeners underrate. In a four-year field trial in the US Corn Belt led by the University of Sheffield, crushed basalt raised maize yields by 12% and soybean by 16%, and lifted potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc in the harvested grain (Beerling et al., 2024). Sheffield's own controlled-environment trial on basalt-amended soil recorded sorghum seed yields up 21% and shoot silicon up 26% (Kelland et al., 2020). Those trials used agricultural rates, and scattering a handful over open ground is lighter than that. Mix it into a potting or raised-bed medium, though, and the basalt goes in at roughly 1 to 3% of the mix by weight, which is a serious dose in a small volume of soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo of the six minerals come in both a fine and a coarse grade, and that is the whole design. Micronised basalt and micronised gypsum have an enormous reactive surface, so calcium, sulphur and trace elements start arriving in the first few weeks. The granulated basalt is the same rock left coarse, and the granulated gypsum is a coarser mineral again; both weather slowly and carry on releasing for years afterwards. The clay minerals hold what is released instead of letting it wash through, and the sea shell meal is a long calcium reserve behind all of it. One bag feeds the season you are in and the ones after it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrowers building high-quality living soil have been doing this by hand for years: rock dust for the mineral reserve, clay for holding capacity, gypsum for calcium and sulphur. This does it in one bag, at percentages printed on the page rather than hidden behind \"enriched with minerals\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne honest limit: it is a soil conditioner, not a fertiliser. There is no useful nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium in it, so it sits under a feeding programme rather than replacing one. Use it when you are making up a soil mix, remineralising a tired bed, or conditioning sandy and peat-free ground that lets nutrients wash straight through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-callout drf-callout-gold\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-callout-title\"\u003eWhat changed in this recipe\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe humic and fulvic acid fraction has come out. The mix is now six mined and marine minerals and nothing else. If you want humic acid alongside it, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/humic-acid-flakes\"\u003eHumic Acid Flakes\u003c\/a\u003e are sold separately so you can set the rate yourself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-stats\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-number\"\u003e38%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-label\"\u003eVolcanic basalt, two grades\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-number\"\u003e38%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-label\"\u003eMined gypsum, two grades\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-number\"\u003e19%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-label\"\u003eClay minerals\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-stat\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-number\"\u003e5%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"drf-stat-label\"\u003eSea shell meal\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat people use it for\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"drf-uses\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuilding a potting or raised-bed mix\u003c\/strong\u003e — peat-free composts are often low in minerals and low in cation exchange capacity. Mixing this in at the start is the most effective way to use it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRemineralising a tired bed or allotment plot\u003c\/strong\u003e — years of cropping and rain take calcium, magnesium and trace elements out of the top few inches. This puts a mineral reserve back.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConditioning sandy or free-draining soil\u003c\/strong\u003e — the clay minerals give light soil somewhere to hold calcium, magnesium and potassium instead of leaching them.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCalcium and sulphur without moving the pH\u003c\/strong\u003e — gypsum is calcium sulphate. It supplies both without the pH rise you get from lime, so it suits neutral and alkaline ground as well as acid.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlanting trees, shrubs, roses and hedging\u003c\/strong\u003e — a few handfuls in the backfill gives roots a mineral reserve for the years they will spend in that hole.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLawn soil conditioning\u003c\/strong\u003e — the fine fractions settle between the blades; the granular fractions and clay work into the root zone over the season.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSerious growers running a living soil\u003c\/strong\u003e — this is the mineral base under stage feeding with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/organic-all-purpose-fertiliser-4-4-4\"\u003eAll Purpose 4-4-4\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/organic-bloom-fertiliser-2-8-4\"\u003eBloom 2-8-4\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMineral mix vs a bag of soil improver from the garden centre\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-compare\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-compare-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDr Forest Mineral Mix\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMined and marine minerals only. Adds calcium, sulphur, silicon, magnesium, trace elements and cation exchange capacity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDoes not add organic matter. Pair it with compost, leafmould or manure for the whole job.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA 1.5 kg bag treats 10 to 30 m² of bed at the maintenance rate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-compare-box\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBagged \"soil improver\" (composted green waste or bark)\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdds organic matter, which is what improves structure, water-holding and biology. Worth doing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMineral content depends on what went into the compost heap. Calcium and sulphur are rarely stated and often low.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApplied by the barrowload, not the handful. Different tool for a different half of the job.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"drf-signoff\"\u003eMined and marine minerals only. No slaughterhouse by-products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- ═══════════ TAB 2: INGREDIENTS ═══════════ --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-panel\" id=\"drf-mm-panel2\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003esix minerals, by weight\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe recipe is one part each of micronised basalt, granulated basalt, micronised gypsum, granulated gypsum and clay minerals, and a quarter part of sea shell meal. By weight that is 19% of each of the five main minerals and 5% shell. Every ingredient is listed here, with its job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e01\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eMicronised volcanic rock dust (basalt) — 19%\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBasalt is a volcanic rock that carries silicon, calcium, magnesium, iron and a spread of trace elements in one mineral. Weathering happens at the surface of the grain, so grinding it fine multiplies the reactive area and soil acids and root exudates get to work on it within the first season rather than the tenth. Laboratory work on seven tropical soils has recorded rises in cation exchange capacity and in exchangeable calcium, magnesium and potassium from finely ground basalt, with only a fraction of what was applied becoming available at once and the rest held in reserve (Gillman et al., 2002). This is the fast half of the basalt. The same product is sold on its own as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/micronized-volcanic-rock-minerals-basalt-organic-soil-conditioner\"\u003eVolcanic Rock Dust\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e02\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eVolcanic rock granules (basalt) — 19%\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe same basalt, left coarse. Granules weather far more slowly than powder, which is exactly the point: they are the reserve still releasing in year three, when the micronised fraction has long since been used up. They also give the blend enough body to spread evenly by hand instead of blowing away. Sold separately as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/organic-granulated-volcanic-rock-minerals-basalt-soil-conditioner\"\u003eGranulated Rock Dust\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e03\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eMicronised gypsum — 19%\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaturally mined calcium sulphate of high purity, ground fine: around 32% CaO and 45% SO₃. Gypsum dissolves slowly (about 2.5 g per litre of water) so it does not spike salt levels, but the fine grind puts a lot of surface in contact with soil water and calcium becomes available over weeks rather than months. Because it is a sulphate and not a carbonate, it supplies calcium without raising soil pH. On dispersive clay it also helps the clay particles flocculate so water can drain (Shainberg et al., 1989). We also sell micronised gypsum wet-milled and held in suspension as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/liquid-gypsum-micronised-calcium-sulphate\"\u003eLiquid Gypsum\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e04\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGranulated gypsum — 19%\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA different gypsum from the micronised fraction, screened into 2–5 mm granules rather than milled. Its analysis is 40% SO₃, 30% CaO and 3% MgO, so alongside calcium and sulphur it brings a little magnesium, which most agricultural gypsums carry none of. Granules dissolve over months, so calcium and sulphur are still arriving late in the season once the fine fraction has gone. Sold on its own as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/granulated-gypsum-clay-breaker\"\u003eGranulated Gypsum\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e05\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eClay minerals (montmorillonite) — 19%\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA swelling clay with a very high cation exchange capacity. Its job in the mix is to give sandy soil and peat-free compost somewhere to hold positively charged nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and potassium so they are not lost to the next heavy watering. In a five-year trial on a sandy loam, a single bentonite application raised field water-holding capacity in the top 40 cm by up to 9%, 11% and 12% across the three seasons that followed (Mi et al., 2020). The rates in that trial, 6 to 30 tonnes per hectare, were far higher than a garden would use; the direction of effect is what matters here. Sold separately as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/dr-forests-montmorillonite-clay-minerals-organic-soil-conditioner\"\u003eMontmorillonite Clay\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e06\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSea shell meal — 5%\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrushed marine shell, mostly calcium carbonate. It is in the recipe at a low rate as a slow calcium reserve that dissolves over years. Crushed shell has a liming potential very close to that of calcium carbonate: 3.4 to 3.8 tonnes per hectare to lift a soil to pH 6.5 in one trial (Lee et al., 2008). At 5% of the mix, and at garden rates, it nudges pH upward only slightly. If you need to correct an acid soil, use \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/organic-sea-shell-meal\"\u003eSea Shell Meal\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/garden-lime\"\u003eGarden Calcium Carbonate\u003c\/a\u003e on their own, at a liming rate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat the mix supplies\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eNutrient\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eTypical\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFrom\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSpeed\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCalcium (CaO)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e~18%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBoth gypsums ~12%, shell ~2.5%, basalt the rest\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeeks to years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSulphur (SO₃)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e~16%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBoth gypsums\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeeks to months\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMagnesium (MgO)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e~3%\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBasalt, granulated gypsum\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSlow, years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSilicon (SiO₂)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubstantial\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBasalt, clay minerals\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSlow, years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIron and trace elements\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePresent\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBasalt\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSlow, years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNitrogen, phosphate, potash\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNone to speak of\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e—\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUse a fertiliser\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFigures use the oxide convention printed on fertiliser labels. Calcium and sulphur are calculated from the stated analysis of the two gypsums and the shell. The basalt and clay contributions are typical totals for those rocks rather than a measured figure, and only a fraction of them becomes plant-available in any one season.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-callout drf-callout-gold\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-callout-title\"\u003eWhat it is made from\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery ingredient is mined rock, mined gypsum, clay or crushed shell. There are no slaughterhouse by-products and no manures in the mix. Because of the shell, it is not sold as vegan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- ═══════════ TAB 3: HOW TO USE ═══════════ --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-panel\" id=\"drf-mm-panel3\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ehow to use mineral mix\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-callout drf-callout-gold\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-callout-title\"\u003eMeasuring\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mix weighs roughly 1.2 g per ml, so a level tablespoon is about 15 to 18 g and a 250 ml cup about 300 g. Soil-mix rates are given by volume (ml per litre of compost) because that is how people make up a mix; bed and lawn rates are by weight per square metre. Wear gloves and avoid breathing the dust, as with any fine mineral powder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eApplication rates\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eMaking up a soil mix (pots, containers, raised beds)\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate-meta\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10–30 ml per litre of compost | \u003cstrong\u003eWhen:\u003c\/strong\u003e once, as you make the mix\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMix in thoroughly before planting. Use 10 to 15 ml per litre for loam-based or home-made composts that already carry some mineral content, 15 to 20 ml for a standard multipurpose, and up to 30 ml for very mineral-poor peat-free mixes. Building the minerals into the medium at the start does more than any later top-dressing can.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eTop-dressing established pots and containers\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate-meta\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1–2 ml per litre of pot volume | \u003cstrong\u003eWhen:\u003c\/strong\u003e once per season\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScatter over the surface and water in. For a 20 litre pot that is 20 to 40 ml, about two tablespoons. The fine fractions wash in with the first watering; the granules and clay follow over the weeks after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBeds, borders and vegetable plots\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate-meta\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50–150 g per m² | \u003cstrong\u003eWhen:\u003c\/strong\u003e every 6 weeks in the growing season\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScatter and rake into the top few centimetres, then water. Use the top of the range for a first application on ground that has never had a mineral amendment, and 50 g per m² for maintenance once the soil has been mineralised. A 1.5 kg bag covers 10 to 30 m² at a time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eLawns\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate-meta\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50–100 g per m² | \u003cstrong\u003eWhen:\u003c\/strong\u003e once or twice a season, spring and autumn\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBroadcast evenly and water in. On sandy lawns the clay minerals and gypsum help the root zone hold water and calcium. Pair it with a lawn feed for nitrogen; the mix supplies none.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003ePlanting trees, shrubs, roses and hedging\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-rate-meta\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50–75 g (two or three handfuls) in the backfill | \u003cstrong\u003eWhen:\u003c\/strong\u003e once, at planting\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMix through the soil that goes back around the roots. The gypsum gives readily available calcium to new roots; the granules and clay stay in the root zone for years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRates at a glance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSituation\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eRate\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFrequency\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoil mix, loam-based\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10–15 ml\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOnce\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoil mix, multipurpose\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15–20 ml\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOnce\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoil mix, mineral-poor peat-free\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eup to 30 ml\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOnce\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTop-dress pots\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1–2 ml\/L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOnce per season\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBeds, first application\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e100–150 g\/m²\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e—\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBeds, maintenance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e50 g\/m²\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEvery 6 weeks\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLawns\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e50–100 g\/m²\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1–2 per season\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlanting backfill\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e50–75 g\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOnce\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eStep by step\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003col class=\"drf-steps\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeigh or measure it.\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 to 30 ml per litre for a soil mix; 50 to 150 g per m² on beds. A level tablespoon is about 15 to 18 g.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMix in or scatter.\u003c\/strong\u003e For a soil mix, turn it through until the pale flecks are evenly spread. On beds and lawns, scatter and rake lightly. On pots, sprinkle around the base of the plant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater in.\u003c\/strong\u003e Moisture starts the gypsum dissolving and washes the fine fractions off the surface.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeed as normal.\u003c\/strong\u003e The mix carries no NPK. Keep your usual fertiliser going alongside it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStore it dry.\u003c\/strong\u003e The clay is hygroscopic and will clump in a damp shed. Clumps still work; break them up and use as normal.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-callout-dark\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-callout-title\"\u003eNot a liming material\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 5% shell will lift pH a little over years; the gypsum will not lift it at all. If a soil test says your ground is acid and needs correcting, that is a job for \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/garden-lime\"\u003eGarden Calcium Carbonate\u003c\/a\u003e at a proper liming rate, not for this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-callout\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-callout-title\"\u003eGoes well with…\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnder a feeding programme it pairs with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/organic-all-purpose-fertiliser-4-4-4\"\u003eAll Purpose 4-4-4\u003c\/a\u003e for growth and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/organic-bloom-fertiliser-2-8-4\"\u003eBloom 2-8-4\u003c\/a\u003e for flowering and fruiting. For the organic-matter half of soil improvement, compost or leafmould does the job; if you want a bagged option, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/organic-alfalfa-meal-pellets-2-5-0-3-2\"\u003eAlfalfa Meal Pellets\u003c\/a\u003e add organic matter and some nitrogen at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRead more on \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/blogs\/the-dr-forest-blog\/what-is-a-soil-improver\"\u003ewhat a soil improver is and which kind you need\u003c\/a\u003e, and on \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/blogs\/the-dr-forest-blog\/how-to-top-dress\"\u003ehow to top-dress\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- ═══════════ TAB 4: THE SCIENCE ═══════════ --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-panel\" id=\"drf-mm-panel4\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ewhat the evidence says, and where it is thin\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoil improvement splits into two jobs. Organic matter builds structure, water-holding and biology; that side is well proven and it is what compost does. The mineral side is about what the soil is made of: how much calcium, magnesium and potassium it can hold, whether it has a reserve of slowly weathering rock to draw on, and whether calcium and sulphur are there when a crop wants them. Mineral Mix works on that second side. Here is what each part rests on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-pullquote\"\u003eCompost is the half of soil improvement everyone does. This is the other half.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e01\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eCation exchange capacity is what stops nutrients washing through\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoil holds positively charged nutrients (calcium, magnesium, potassium, ammonium) on negatively charged surfaces. Sandy soil and most peat-free composts have very few of those surfaces, so the nutrients you add leach out with the rain. Clay minerals, particularly the swelling smectites such as montmorillonite, carry a large negative charge per gram, which is why adding them raises a soil's capacity to hold cations (Bohn et al., 2001). The five-year bentonite trial mentioned on the Ingredients tab put numbers on the water-holding side of this: up to a 12% rise in field water-holding capacity after a single application (Mi et al., 2020).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e02\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eA four-year field trial put numbers on basalt\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe strongest recent evidence for rock dust comes from a University of Sheffield-led trial in the US Corn Belt, published in \u003cem\u003ePNAS\u003c\/em\u003e. Crushed basalt applied to a maize and soybean rotation over four seasons raised maize yield by 12% and soybean by 16% against untreated controls, and raised potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc in the harvested grain, with no significant rise in trace metals in the grain or in the soil's exchangeable pools (Beerling et al., 2024). The rate was 50 tonnes per hectare a year, far above anything a garden broadcasts, so read it as evidence that basalt does what is claimed of it rather than as a yield promise for a handful on a bed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e03\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBasalt raised yield and silicon in Sheffield's own trial\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Sheffield's controlled-environment work on basalt-amended agricultural soil, sorghum seed dry mass rose by 21 ± 9.4% and shoot silicon by 26 ± 5.4%, with the base cations released by weathering accumulating in the soil's exchangeable pools rather than washing away (Kelland et al., 2020). That last point matters more than the yield figure: it is the mechanism by which a slow rock keeps feeding a soil, and it is why the granulated fraction in this mix is there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e04\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFinely ground basalt raises exchangeable calcium, magnesium and potassium\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn column trials on seven weathered soils, finely ground basalt raised pH, lowered aluminium saturation, and increased cation exchange capacity and exchangeable calcium, magnesium and potassium. Only a fraction of the applied cations became exchangeable straight away; the rest stayed as a reserve, and the improvements held after a full wet season of simulated rainfall was leached through (Gillman et al., 2002).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e05\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eRock dust is slow, and the evidence on temperate soils is mixed\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet against that, a 2022 review of silicate rock powders is the honest counterweight. Basalt is among the rock types with the most consistent benefits and weathering speeds up with finer grinding and more rainfall, but the clearest results come from highly weathered tropical soils; on temperate field soils, which usually still hold a decent mineral reserve, the review found results inconclusive, and field weathering runs far slower than the laboratory suggests (Swoboda et al., 2022). Two things follow. A good loam that already grows well may not show you much. A container of peat-free compost, a sand, or a plot cropped hard for a decade is a different case, and much closer to the mineral-poor soils where rock dust earns its keep. That is also why this mix pairs basalt with gypsum, which works in weeks rather than years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e06\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGypsum supplies calcium and sulphur without changing pH\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGypsum is calcium sulphate. It has no carbonate, so its neutralising value is zero and it will neither correct an acid soil nor push an alkaline one further. What it does is supply calcium and sulphate sulphur in a form that dissolves slowly, and on dispersive clay soils the dissolved calcium helps clay particles flocculate so that water can move through (Shainberg et al., 1989). A 2017 review of gypsum in agriculture describes it as widely used and under-explained, with the strongest effects on sodic and dispersive soils, and a crop response running soybean ahead of maize ahead of wheat (Zoca \u0026amp; Penn, 2017). Most liquid feeds carry no calcium at all, which is one reason to have a mineral source of it in the soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e07\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSulphur is the nutrient UK soils have quietly run short of\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAtmospheric sulphur deposition in Britain fell steeply after the 1980s as coal burning and industrial emissions were cut. A Rothamsted risk assessment across 6,301 sites put 11% of British land at high risk of sulphur deficiency and a further 22% at medium risk, and projected both figures would roughly double as sulphur dioxide emissions fell further (McGrath \u0026amp; Zhao, 1995). Sulphur is needed for protein synthesis and for the flavour compounds in onions, brassicas and garlic. The two gypsum fractions give the mix about 16% SO₃, most of it available within the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e08\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSilicon is taken up and laid down in cell walls\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilicon, which most gardeners call silica, is not classed as essential for most plants. Grasses and cereals take it up in quantity, often to higher levels than any other mineral in the plant, and plants short of it are structurally weaker and more easily stressed (Epstein, 1999). How much a plant takes up varies a great deal by species: among vegetables the cucurbits accumulate it and most others do not (Ma \u0026amp; Yamaji, 2006). Basalt is silicon-rich. The silicon in it releases slowly, so this is a long-term reserve rather than a quick effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-mech\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"drf-mech-num\"\u003e09\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFast and slow fractions of the same mineral\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDissolution and weathering rates scale with surface area, so a micronised powder releases far faster than a granule of the same rock. Putting both forms of basalt and both forms of gypsum in one mix gives a front-loaded supply for the current season and a reserve that continues after it. It also means the mix can be spread by hand without the whole bag blowing away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-refs\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eScientific References\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeerling, D.J., Epihov, D.Z., Kantola, I.B., Masters, M.D., et al. (2024). Enhanced weathering in the US Corn Belt delivers carbon removal with agronomic benefits. \u003cem\u003eProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003c\/em\u003e, 121(9), e2319436121.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKelland, M.E., Wade, P.W., Lewis, A.L., et al. (2020). Increased yield and CO₂ sequestration potential with the C₄ cereal \u003cem\u003eSorghum bicolor\u003c\/em\u003e cultivated in basaltic rock dust-amended agricultural soil. \u003cem\u003eGlobal Change Biology\u003c\/em\u003e, 26(6), 3658–3676.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGillman, G.P., Burkett, D.C. \u0026amp; Coventry, R.J. (2002). Amending highly weathered soils with finely ground basalt rock. \u003cem\u003eApplied Geochemistry\u003c\/em\u003e, 17(8), 987–1001.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSwoboda, P., Döring, T.F. \u0026amp; Hamer, M. (2022). Remineralizing soils? The agricultural usage of silicate rock powders: a review. \u003cem\u003eScience of the Total Environment\u003c\/em\u003e, 807, 150976.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMi, J., Gregorich, E.G., Xu, S., McLaughlin, N.B. \u0026amp; Liu, J. (2020). Effect of bentonite as a soil amendment on field water-holding capacity, and millet photosynthesis and grain quality. \u003cem\u003eScientific Reports\u003c\/em\u003e, 10, 18282.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBohn, H.L., McNeal, B.L. \u0026amp; O'Connor, G.A. (2001). \u003cem\u003eSoil Chemistry\u003c\/em\u003e, 3rd ed. Wiley.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShainberg, I., Sumner, M.E., Miller, W.P., Farina, M.P.W., Pavan, M.A. \u0026amp; Fey, M.V. (1989). Use of gypsum on soils: a review. \u003cem\u003eAdvances in Soil Science\u003c\/em\u003e, 9, 1–111.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eZoca, S.M. \u0026amp; Penn, C. (2017). An important tool with no instruction manual: a review of gypsum use in agriculture. \u003cem\u003eAdvances in Agronomy\u003c\/em\u003e, 144, 1–44.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLee, C.H., Lee, D.K., Ali, M.A. \u0026amp; Kim, P.J. (2008). Effects of oyster shell on soil chemical and biological properties and cabbage productivity as a liming materials. \u003cem\u003eWaste Management\u003c\/em\u003e, 28(12), 2702–2708.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMcGrath, S.P. \u0026amp; Zhao, F.J. (1995). A risk assessment of sulphur deficiency in cereals using soil and atmospheric deposition data. \u003cem\u003eSoil Use and Management\u003c\/em\u003e, 11(3), 110–114.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEpstein, E. (1999). Silicon. \u003cem\u003eAnnual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology\u003c\/em\u003e, 50, 641–664.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMa, J.F. \u0026amp; Yamaji, N. (2006). Silicon uptake and accumulation in higher plants. \u003cem\u003eTrends in Plant Science\u003c\/em\u003e, 11(8), 392–397.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarschner, P. (Ed.) (2012). \u003cem\u003eMarschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants\u003c\/em\u003e, 3rd ed. Academic Press.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- ═══════════ TAB 5: FAQ ═══════════ --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-panel\" id=\"drf-mm-panel5\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eyour questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq1\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq1\"\u003eWhat is mineral mix for plants?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eA blend of six mined and marine minerals used as a soil conditioner: micronised and granulated volcanic basalt, micronised and granulated natural gypsum, montmorillonite clay minerals and sea shell meal. It adds calcium, sulphur, silicon, magnesium and trace elements to soil and gives light soil more capacity to hold nutrients. It is mixed into compost or scattered on beds and lawns.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq2\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq2\"\u003eIs it a fertiliser?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eNo. It carries no useful nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium. It is a soil conditioner that supplies calcium, sulphur and slow-release rock minerals and builds cation exchange capacity. Use it under a fertiliser programme rather than instead of one.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq3\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq3\"\u003eWhat is the difference between a soil conditioner and a soil improver?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eIn UK garden use the two words mean the same thing: something added to soil to improve its structure or chemistry rather than to feed the plant directly. Most bagged soil improvers are composted organic matter. This one is mineral. Both are soil conditioners in the RHS sense; they do different halves of the job and work well together.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq18\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq18\"\u003eWhat does a soil improver do?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eIt changes the soil rather than feeding the plant directly. Bulky organic improvers such as compost and manure improve structure, drainage and water-holding. A mineral soil improver like this one does the other half: it adds calcium, sulphur, silicon, magnesium and trace elements, and raises the soil's capacity to hold nutrients instead of losing them to the next heavy rain. Neither replaces a fertiliser.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq4\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq4\"\u003eIs it a soil improver for clay soil?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003ePartly. The gypsum in it helps dispersive clay flocculate and drain, and it adds calcium and sulphur. But 19% of the mix is clay minerals, which a heavy clay soil does not need more of. On clay, straight gypsum is the better choice: see Granulated Gypsum or Liquid Gypsum and the Clay Soil collection. Mineral Mix is a better fit for sandy, loamy and peat-free ground.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq5\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq5\"\u003eIs it a soil conditioner for sandy soil?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eYes, this is where it fits best. Sandy soil has little cation exchange capacity and little mineral reserve. The clay minerals give it somewhere to hold calcium, magnesium and potassium, the gypsum adds calcium and sulphur, and the basalt adds a slow reserve of minerals. Add organic matter alongside it for water-holding.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq6\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq6\"\u003eWill it change my soil pH?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eVery little. Gypsum has a neutralising value of zero and does not move pH. Basalt is mildly alkaline and weathers slowly. The 5% sea shell meal is calcium carbonate and will lift pH a touch over years at normal rates. If you need to raise pH, use a liming product at a liming rate; if you need to lower it, this is not the product either.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq19\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq19\"\u003eHow do you use a soil improver?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eA mineral improver goes in by the handful and gets mixed or raked in: 10 to 30 ml per litre when you are making up compost or a raised-bed mix, 50 to 150 g per square metre scattered and raked into the top few centimetres of a bed, then watered. A bulky organic improver is a different job, spread by the barrowload at around 5 to 10 kg per square metre and dug in or left on the surface. Most soils benefit from both.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq7\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq7\"\u003eHow much do I put in a soil mix?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e10 to 30 ml per litre of compost, mixed in before planting. Use the lower end for loam-based or home-made composts that already hold some minerals, around 15 to 20 ml for a standard multipurpose, and up to 30 ml for a very mineral-poor peat-free mix.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq8\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq8\"\u003eHow often do I apply it to beds?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e50 to 150 g per square metre, raked in and watered, every six weeks through the growing season. Use the top of the range for the first application on ground that has never had a mineral amendment and 50 g per square metre for maintenance.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq20\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq20\"\u003eWhen should you apply a soil improver?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eAny time the ground is workable and not frozen or waterlogged. The most effective moment for this one is when you are building a soil mix or planting, because minerals worked through the root zone do more than minerals sitting on the surface. On beds, an application at the start of the season sets the mineral reserve up for the year. Autumn and late winter suit bulky organic matter, which has time to break down before spring.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq9\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq9\"\u003eHow quickly does it work?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eOn two timescales at once, which is the point of the fine and coarse grades. The micronised gypsum starts dissolving with the first watering, so calcium and sulphur are available within weeks, and the micronised basalt begins weathering in the first season. The granulated gypsum runs for months and the granulated basalt and clay for years. What it will not do is act like a feed: expect the difference in how the soil behaves over a season, not a change in the plant in a fortnight.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq9b\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq9b\"\u003eDoes rock dust actually work, or is it hype?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eThere is real evidence, and there are real limits. A four-year University of Sheffield-led field trial in the US Corn Belt found crushed basalt raised maize yield by 12% and soybean by 16%, and lifted potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc in the grain (Beerling et al., 2024, PNAS). Sheffield's controlled-environment work found sorghum seed yield up 21% and shoot silicon up 26% (Kelland et al., 2020). Both used agricultural application rates. A 2022 review is clear that on temperate soils already holding a good mineral reserve the results are inconclusive. So: strong on mineral-poor, sandy, peat-free and hard-cropped soils, and less to show on a good loam that already grows well.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq21\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq21\"\u003eWhich rock dust is best for a garden?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eBasalt is the one with the strongest evidence behind it, which is why both rock dust fractions in this mix are basalt. Grind matters as much as rock type: a micronised powder weathers within the first season, a granule takes years, and this mix carries both. Glacial rock dust is a mixed bag geologically, since it is whatever the ice ground up, so the mineral content varies with the source. If you want basalt on its own, we sell it as Volcanic Rock Dust and as Granulated Rock Dust.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq10\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq10\"\u003eIs this a good soil improver for a vegetable garden?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eYes, and a vegetable plot is one of the places it earns its keep, because hard cropping takes calcium, magnesium and trace elements out of the top few inches year after year. Calcium and sulphur are the two nutrients most often short in tomatoes, brassicas and alliums, and the mix supplies both without adding nitrogen at the wrong point in the season. Work it in at 50 to 150 g per square metre and keep your normal feed going for the NPK.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq11\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq11\"\u003eCan I use it on lawns?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eYes. Broadcast 50 to 100 g per square metre once or twice a season and water in. It supplies no nitrogen, so use it alongside a lawn feed rather than instead of one.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq12\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq12\"\u003eCan I mix it with fertiliser and other Dr Forest products?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eYes. It is designed to sit under All Purpose 4-4-4, Bloom 2-8-4 or any of the crop feeds. It also combines with Humic Acid Flakes if you want humic acid, which used to be in the recipe and is now sold separately.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq13\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq13\"\u003eIs it safe for children, pets, bees and wildlife?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eUsed as directed, yes. It is ground rock, gypsum, clay and shell, with nothing in it intended to harm anything. Keep the bag out of reach, avoid breathing the dust when you spread it, water it in, and let the surface dry before children and pets go back on it.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq14\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq14\"\u003eIs it organic?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eIt is made from natural mined and marine minerals of the kind permitted in organic growing, and it is not certified organic as a finished product. If you grow to a certification scheme, check the ingredient list against your scheme's rules.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq15\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq15\"\u003eIs it vegan?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eNo. Five of the six minerals are mined rock, gypsum or clay, and there are no slaughterhouse by-products, manures or animal meals in it, but the sixth ingredient, sea shell meal, is crushed marine shell, so the mix is not vegan. Our single-ingredient rock dust, gypsum and clay products are.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq16\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq16\"\u003eHow should I store it, and how long does it keep?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eSealed, cool and dry. The clay minerals absorb moisture from damp air and the bag will clump if left open in a shed. Clumps are still usable; break them up. Kept dry, minerals do not go off.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cinput id=\"drf-mm-faq17\" type=\"checkbox\"\u003e\u003clabel class=\"drf-faq-q\" for=\"drf-mm-faq17\"\u003eWhere is it made?\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"drf-faq-a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003eBlended in small batches at Dr Forest in Stockport, Greater Manchester, from mined minerals and crushed marine shell.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Dr Forest","offers":[{"title":"1.5kg","offer_id":44205188907195,"sku":"DF-MINMIX-1.5","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"3kg","offer_id":33358174257240,"sku":"DF-MINMIX-3","price":21.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"9kg","offer_id":33358174290008,"sku":"DF-MINMIX-9","price":44.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"18kg","offer_id":44741058691259,"sku":"DF-MINMIX-18","price":70.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0049\/8194\/8504\/files\/organic-micro-nutrient-mineral-mix-premium-soil-conditioner-mound-224.webp?v=1785512769","url":"https:\/\/www.drforest.co.uk\/products\/soil-conditioner-mineral-mix","provider":"Dr Forest","version":"1.0","type":"link"}