ABSTRACT
The widespread use of soil conditioners is one method turf managers have used to ameliorate the effects of soil compaction and to manage soil water. In turf literature the terms soil conditioners and soil amendments have been used interchangeably. Inorganic conditioners other than sand have different purposes in native soil situations and modified high-sand profiles. Clay and diatomaceous earth are two materials commonly calcined and used as turf soil conditioners. Polyacrylamides have been proposed as conditioners to enhance soil water retention and improve physical properties of turf soils. Other inorganic conditioners including vermiculite, perlite, clinoptilolite zeolite, pumice, expanded shale, slag, sintered fly ash, and gypsum are described by Waddington. The stability of many inorganic conditioners in sports turf soils with normal weathering processes and frequent traffic has been questioned, but few research studies have definitively established which ones are likely to break down or lose their effectiveness in a reasonable time period.
