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Re: Questions about Soil Amendments

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Patricia posted a *few* questions...:-)

>Hi, Sq. Footers --
>
>As a new gardener, I am a little confused about a couple of soil amendment
/
>additive products.
>
>PEAT MOSS
>* Does it help raise the pH of soil? If so, I definitely need to addextra
>lime because I have fairly acidic soil (5.3).

Peat moss lowers pH a bit, so lime should be added with it
>
>* Does it make soil *spongy*? Or, if so, have I added too much?

Yep. Spongey is good.....:-)
>
>* Does it help soil retain water? If so, does sand then help it to drain
better?

Yep. It retains water and allows air to circulate; sand can be in the mix
too
>
>VERMICULITE / PERLITE
>* What is the difference between these? Not so much what they are (tho I'm
>interested in that), but what they do for soil, or how they perform, or
when
>to use them?

Aeration is their forte; use them in Melsoil, if you make it.

>GREENSAND and ROCK PHOSPHATE
>* Both add potash, right ?

No. Greensand adds potassium (which is the K in NPK and the important
element in potash.)  Rock phospate adds phosphorus, the P in NPK.

(what IS potash, anyway)? When would you use one
>rather than the other? If the greensand bag says 0 - 0 - 0.5, how would you
>mix that in with, say, blood meal and bone meal?

Greensand is best added to the soil as a long term slow acting source of K
and other trace minerals, along with compost and rock phosphate.

Personally I don't use blood meal and bone meal, preferring compost or
alfalfa meal as an N source and rock phosphate as a P source if I need one;
alfalfa meal at 5-1-2 is a balanced fertilizer and compost is also.

Blood meal is a fast acting N source and bone meal carries some risk of the
evil bovine spongioform encephalopathy, aka 'Mad Cow Disease'; I prefer slow
and steady in the N-delivery department, and not to support factory farming
of animals by buying their by-products.
>
>* Can either of these be used instead of Wood Ash -- ?? And if so, in what
>amounts / proportions?  (I think Mel's soil amendment recipe includes it,
>but they laughed at me at the garden center when I asked about it. I may
>have some after this coming winter, but for now, no.)

Wood ash is a concentrated and caustic source of K and some P as well as
Calcium, Magnesium and some trace stuff.  It should be applied lightly, like
talcum powder, and is useful as an insect repellent as well as a nutrient
source.
>
>COTTONSEED MEAL
>What does it do? Fertilizer?

Cottonseed meal is a fertilizer, primarily an N source and useful for acid
loving plants like blueberries and azaleas. In my opinion, it is worthwhile
to pay extra for organic cottonseed meal, as the other stuff is laden with
pesticide residues...
>
>LOL -- Did I say I was a *little* confused?

A good general book on soil is Fertile Soil by Robert Parnes (sorry I don't
have the ISBN).

For sources of greensand in Georgia,. I know of Hastings in the Atlanta
area, and there must be others including places that will ship it to you....
>
>Thanks to everyone for a very enlightening, fun list. I've learned lots --
>but still have SO many questions. I've been holding back a bit, but I'm
>beginning to burst at the seams. Next, I'll have to start addressing some
of
>my *problem areas,* and I do have a few. :-(

For a boatload of info on southern gardening and stuff, search the OGL
archives for posts by Lee Flier...she's an opinionated permaculturist and
Atlantean, with lots of helpful stuff for beginners especially...(Atlantean
means Atlanta, Georgia, not Atlantis, in case you were wondering.....;-)

Frank---formerly of Maryland, he believes humans have been known to survive
and garden south of there, even if he wouldn't consider it....:-)

>
>
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