In agriculture, improving sandy soil mainly means keeping more water and nutrients in the root zone. That works through humus, a suitable pH, covered soil and a water store in the root zone. The soil analysis shows which measure comes first.
What characterises sandy soil
- Rain drains away quickly. The coarse pores hold little, and the topsoil dries out after a few days without rain.
- Dissolved nutrients such as nitrate and potassium move down with the seepage water and are lost to the crop.
- Humus breaks down faster than on heavy soils, because sand is well aerated and heats up strongly.
- pH drops faster, because sand hardly buffers acid.
- The advantages: sandy soil can almost always be driven on, is easy to work and warms up early in spring.
Improving sandy soil: the measures
Soil analysis first
The lab report shows humus content, pH, main nutrients and trace elements. On light soils magnesium and boron are often short because they leach easily. Without an analysis every measure is a guess.
Build humus
Humus holds several times its own weight in water and binds nutrients. Cover crops, straw, manure and compost bring organic matter into the soil. On sand this is a permanent task, because humus is broken down again quickly there.
Keep the soil covered
A cover crop or mulch layer slows evaporation and protects against wind erosion. Bare sand loses a lot of water through the surface on hot days.
Lime in small doses
Because sand buffers weakly, a large lime dose quickly shifts pH too far. Little and often is better than a lot at long intervals, always based on the analysis.
Nutrients in split doses
Whatever is given all at once is washed out of the root zone by the next heavy rain. Several small doses timed to the crop’s demand arrive better.
A water store in the root zone
A water-storing granule takes up rain and irrigation water and releases it to the root in dry weeks. On sandy soil this helps most, because the soil itself holds so little.
Read more: Soil improvement · Improving heavy clay soil
What PowerGelee does on sandy soil
PowerGelee is a water-storing granule with high-quality active soil conditioners for conventional agriculture. The granule sits in the root zone, swells when it rains and keeps water and dissolved nutrients where the root can reach them. The soil conditioners follow your soil analysis and add what the soil lacks. Every blend also contains stable humus that is available immediately.
The blend is worked into the root zone once, about 150 kg per hectare on average, and has a half-life of about 5 years. As long as PowerGelee is working in the soil, you can fertilise about 30 % less than before. That is optional. Liming is still needed. PowerGelee replaces neither rain nor irrigation, and we do not give a yield guarantee.
More on water-storing granules · View the products
What this brings the farm: time and money
A soil that holds water and nutrients needs less topping up. You go out less often to supply water and nutrients. Those are tractor hours, diesel and machine wear you save. On top of that come more evenly supplied stands that get through dry weeks better. See field comparisons · Testimonials
If you have a lab report of your soil sample, you can upload it to us. We tell you without obligation what your soil lacks and which blend suits it. We deliver to Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland, and to other countries on request.
Frequently asked questions
How do you improve sandy soil in agriculture?
By building humus with cover crops, manure and compost, keeping the soil covered, liming in small doses and splitting nutrient doses. A water-storing granule in the root zone holds additional water and nutrients. A soil analysis is always the basis.
How long does it take to improve sandy soil?
Building humus through cover crops and manure takes years and has to continue permanently. PowerGelee brings a water store and immediately available stable humus straight into the root zone. That works from the first rain.
Which crops cope with sandy soil?
Asparagus, potatoes, carrots and rye grow well on light soils. Corn, strawberries and vegetables need additional water there in dry weeks.
Do water-storing granules help on sandy soil?
Yes, most of all there. Sand holds little water by itself, and the granule makes up for that in the root zone. But it only stores what arrives and replaces neither rain nor irrigation.
Current soil moisture data
Two public services show how dry the soil currently is in Germany:
- German Drought Monitor, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ): drought status of topsoil and total soil, updated daily
- Soil moisture viewer, German Meteorological Service (DWD): soil moisture by crop, soil type and depth (in German)