Subject: Re: mineral amendments

From: "Steve Diver" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 09:45:44 +0000

> Does anyone have a good reference that shows all the mineral amendments
> (gypsum, lignite, rock phosphate, kelp, etc.) and what quantities should be
> spread over what surface area?

To provide an answer as to the type and quantity of mineral amendments 
a farmer or gardener should spread on the land depends on: 

1.  Which school of fertility management do you follow; where do you 
      live in terms of climate and soil type; whose ideas best fits you 
      situation; how basic or how sophisticated do you want to get; 
     what are the goals of fertility management:  (1) yield; (2) soil 
      building; (3) pest management; (4) high mineral, vitamin, and 
     soluble solids content; (5) high vitality. 
2.  A soil test; which type of soil test and the degree of its 
     importance depending on concepts and goals in Number 1

In permaculture, there is a big emphasis on nutrient cycling from 
bio-integrated systems.  Use the waste products of one biological 
system (animals, aquaculture, worms) to fuel the fertility inputs for a 
related biological system (plants, microorganisms).  Common sense
approach and an emphasis on natural systems takes precedence over 
soil testing and school of fertility management, it seems.  The fact that 
permaculture as implemented in most place is more akin to home food 
production rather than small- to medium-scale commercial food production 
favors this approach.  The more commerical one gets, the more important 
soil testing becomes.  

A basic organic fertility management program: 

*Humus management; build the soil structure and feed the 
microorganisms with a combination of crop rotations, green 
manures, cover crops, animal manures, and preferrably composted
animal manures.  The benefits of compost and cover crops are so
numerous that one can say they are fundamental building blocks
to any working organic farm.  

*Rock minerals;  some rock phosphate or potash rock may be 
needed when soil tests indicate P and K are low. 

*Rock dusts; rock dusts from mined sources provide a mixture 
of trace elements which are important as catalysts in enzyme 
reactions, the fine grind encourages microbial activity.  Added to 
compost piles, the organic acids solubilize the minerals and tie the 
elements into complex humic structures, thus making the nutrients 
available via plant root excretions when they are needed. 

*Humates can be very helpful when humus management is
in the early phase of implementation (such as on a transition farm) 
or when compost is lacking in availability. 

Other components, depending on the situation: 

*Foliar feeding; a simple fish-seaweed blend all the way up to 
the sophisticated Brix Mix sold by Peaceful Valley Farms to 
increase the soluble solids in produce. 

*Microbial inoculation; mycorrhizae are commercially available
to encourage beneficial fungal association with many horticultural
crops.  Other microbials can tweak the quality of humus-crumb
formation in composts, increase bacterial activity in soils, enhance
pest management in crops, etc.

For rock phosphate, I think that 300-500 lbs/acre is a general usage 
rate, up to 1,000 lbs per acre.  But if you are following the advice of 
a crop advisor, the recommended rate would be rather precise. 

ATTRA, the sustainable farming information center located at the 
University of Arkansas, put together two new resource lists to 
assists farmers who need information on organic/sustainable 
fertility management. 

Sources of Organic Fertilizers and Amendments - December 1997
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/orgfert.html

Alternative Soil Testing Laboratories - March 1998
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/soil-lab.html

********************************************
ATTRA On-Line Publications List 
http://www.attra.org/pub.html

Making the Transition to Sustainable Farming
Organic Blueberry Production 
Organic Culture of Bramble Fruit 
Organic Cranberry Production
Sustainable Pecan Production 
Overview of Organic Fruit Production 
Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners 
Sustainable Small-Scale Nursery Production 
Marketing Channels: Pick-Your-Own & Agri-Entertainment
Herb Production & Marketing 
St. Johnswort as an Alternative Crop 
Mushroom Cultivation & Marketing 
Community Supported Agriculture
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 
Farmscaping to Enhance Biological Control 
Worms for Composting (Vermicomposting) 
Organic Certification 
Beef Farm Sustainability Checksheet 
Alternative Beef Marketing 
Sustainable Beef Production 
Dairy Products On-Farm 
Marketing Organic Livestock Products 
Alternative Soil Testing Laboratories
Alternative Nematode Control 
Alternative Seed Suppliers 
Sources for Organic Fertilizers and Amendments
*********************************************

Steve Diver
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas
Fayetteville, Arkansas 

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