Talk:Soil conditioner
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[edit] Merge
Is there a difference between a soil amendment and a soil conditioner, and is it a big enough difference to justify separate articles? -- Kjkolb 13:32, 1 January 2006 (UTC)
Okay, I added merge tags. The merge direction is not set, I just chose one so that the discussion link would come to one place. -- Kjkolb 02:23, 19 January 2006 (UTC)
I would argue that soil amendments and conditioners are the same thing. They are both applied to improve soil fertility. While fertilizers provide nutrients for plants, both amendments and conditioners improve other chemical, physical or biological components of the soil's fertility.203.153.228.8 06:38, 27 January 2006 (UTC)
Regarding the binding of water to clay molecules: If I recall correctly, clay molecule acquire a negative charge and form hydrogen bonds to the positive end of a water dipole. This is purely electrostatic and has nothing to do with magnetism. I am not quite enough of an expert to be comfortable doing this edit but would imagine that it is more correct to say something like: "...clay may hold more water but the clay molecules carry a negative electric charge and therefore form hydrogen bonds with the water molecules. These bonds are difficult for roots to break." Peter Chastain 22:09, 7 October 2006 (UTC)
