Re: [compost_tea] soil chemistry facts

From: Mike Harvey <mharvey_at_westnet.com.au>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 21:44:28 +0800

Thanks for your comprehensive reply and the excellent stream of information=
 you present.
The concept that you are promoting is radical, because of this it must be s=
upported with convincing evidence.
As far as I am aware most of the consultants and researchers involved with =
biological and organic farming have found that the addition of minerals has=
 been critical to the success of biological systems. Reams Albrecht arden a=
ndersen, Kinsey the list goes on, have all advised the use of mineral appli=
cations.
What you are saying seems to go against this body of work, hence the need t=
o present sound evidence - data.
I will be looking forward to the next ezine.
I will be setting up a trial to verify this concept and get some idea on ra=
tes and frequency required to get the desired result for our soil types and=
 conditions.
"........How much compost tea? We need to do studies to figure this out. =
Neither you nor I can make recommendations without data. How much biology =
is required, and what are the foods needed, to keep the organisms active? .=
............" Elaine
The theory of what you are saying seems perfectly logical and reasonable h=
owever I want to see it working on my farm before I get too excited!!
Once a demonstration site such as this was established in my area I am sure=
 people would sit up and take notice of this approach.
regards Mike Harvey
western australia

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 10:37 PM
  Subject: Re: [compost_tea] soil chemistry facts


  Let's go back to what I said in my e-mail.

  Working with Graham Lancaster at Southern Cross University, we have the d=
ata showing that no nutrient element is limiting in any soil. the total ex=
tractable nutrients - N, P, S, Fe, Ca, Co, whatever - were not in any way e=
ven close to the limiting level in any ag soil in Australia.

  Ok, Do we all have that fact clear? Don't add any other interpretation =
to that piece of information. No other extrapolation. This is fact. I wi=
ll get the data to show you and post it to the e-zine. Graham and I will w=
ork on a paper to be published in a scientific journal.

  OK.

  Then, the next step is, what makes nutrients available? That means, what=
 solubilizes nutrients? And what we mean by that is, what moves a nutrient=
 from the total extractable pool, which may not be available to plants, int=
o the exchangeable pool, which are nutrients in the soil solution, which ar=
e nutrients available to plants?

  The only way to do that is through the action of organisms. Many papers =
have been written about hte phosphate-solubilizing bacteria. I don't reall=
y have to put up a list of those references, do I? There are thousands of =
papers about nitrifying bacteria. there are hundreds of papers about nutri=
ent cycling occurring through the actions of protozoa, nematodes and microa=
rthropods. The Soil Biology Primer, the Ecological Monograph by Ingham et =
al in 1986, any of David Coleman's books, papers by Paul Hendrix, Darvid Wa=
rdles' book, all cover this topic quite well.

  There are papers about how microorganisms move any mineral from the not-s=
oluble pool to the soluble pool of nutrients. It is in the scientific lite=
reature. Maybe Steve Diver has reviewed it on the ATTRA website.

  Now, you bring up the fact that addition of inorganic nutroents can impro=
ve plant growth.

  I am NOT disputing that. This isn't an attack on the fact that when AVAI=
LABLE nutrients are not present, that addition of available nutrients helps=
 plants grow.

  But the real question is, why aren't the nutrients that are in your soil =
available? why are they stuck in a plant un-available form?

  Answer: the biology has been killed, or wasn't there to begin with.

  How did the biology get killed? Inorganic fertilizers and pesticies. =
 

  How to get the biology back? Compost, compost tea.

  How much compost tea? We need to do studies to figure this out. Neither=
 you nor I can make recommendations without data. How much biology is requ=
ired, and what are the foods needed, to keep the organisms active?

  the data are not present for each nutrient element. We have some clues f=
or Ca, and for N.

  compost tea added at 100L/HA as soil drenches, 25L/Ha for foliar applicat=
ions. You may need "kick-starts" of Ca, and fungal or bacterial foods to g=
et things going. Testing your soil to determine whether the kick-start has=
 happened is necessary.

  Elaine R. Ingham
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
  Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
  Soil Foodweb Institue Cambridge, New Zealand
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Hilversum, The Netherlands
  Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
  Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho


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Received on Tue Aug 31 2004 - 10:15:54 EDT

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