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Re: Questions about Soil Amendments

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

At 09:18 AM 7/2/99 -0400, Frank wrote:
>Patricia posted a *few* questions...:-)

Frank, thanks so much. Very helpful (but then I KNEW I could count on
someone on the list).

>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.

Yes, I did read all that discussion, and definitely plan to be very careful.
You raise a very good point about not supporting that industry, too. Thanks.
I've already bought a bunch, so will go ahead and use it -- especially until
I can use compost more exclusively.

>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...

Oh, pooh. Well, thanks for the heads up on that.

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

Great -- I'll definitely add that to my library.

>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....

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

Well, the red Georgia clay definitely offers its challenges (tho we are
somehow blessed with some actual non-clay topsoil on our new property), but
we have a longer growing season that you!   Nahna nana nana. <g>

Thanks again, Frank. I really appreciate the help.

Patricia
Zone 7b, West Georgia


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