Bentonite Clay

Preparing the soil is key to creating a sustainable garden. Soil amendments change the texture of the soil to better hold water and nutrients. Products such as Bentonite Clay, Zeolite and Compost are the most important for Perth’s sandy soils and will treat problems such as dryness, water repellency and nutrient deficiency.

Bentonite clay changes the physical texture of the soil. Instead of it being inert sand particles which are basically small rocks with little to no water holding capacity, the clay when mixed into gardens and lawns will fill in the gaps between the sand, almost like building a brick wall and adding mortar between the courses. The clay particles are hundreds of times smaller than grains of sand and act like the glue that holds it all together. Clay also has the natural property of polar attraction so inherently will draw water and nutrients towards it which reduces the hydrophobic conditions.

Because Bentonite Clay is a naturally occurring product it will stay in the soil where it has been mixed for a long time without disappearing unlike water crystals (which are made from petroleum). Bentonite clay is also quite cheap.