Re: Re: CULT: Soil conditioners

In a message dated 8/24/2002 9:39:10 AM Central Daylight Time, 
donald@eastland.net writes:


> Manure is good, but cow manure on clay soils can create serious
> >problems.
> 
> Why?  How?
> 
> >Sheep and horse manure is better,
> 
> Again, why?
> 
> Cow manure is always more available than the others.  I use it (a lot).  I
> have used sheep manure and couldn't tell any difference.  My favorite was
> homegrown chicken litter, but overusing it can sure burn.  I'll dump
> anything organic in my clay.  It takes years of reapplying before it begins
> to loosen and become friable but needs to be well.  I mix it half by volume
> and the next season I'm back to clay that has little or no evidence of
> anything organic having been added.  It seems to just consume organic
> material.  I'd sure like to have access to composted horse manure since it
> is lighter with more of a straw texture than the others and see how it 
> does.
> 

In this group I often see this amendment or that touted a miracle cure. 
However, more often than not, there is not a single source cure for deficient 
soil.

If you take a heavy alkaline clay soil and amend it with only copious amounts 
of organic matter, ten years later you will have black goo clay. And, if you 
take a heavy alkaline clay soil and amend it with copious amounts of sand, 
ten years later you will have concrete. If you take an acid clay soil and 
amend it with copious amounts of lime, ten years later you will also have 
concrete. If you take a heavy alkaline clay soil and amend it with chemical 
fertilizers 10 years later you will have a soil that will not grow plants any 
better. But, if you take that same clay soil and add organic matter, sand, 
and plant nutrients, within a few years you will create a nutrient rich, 
productive soil of good tilth. The secret, if there is one, is to pay 
attention to all the necessary components of good soil.

The primary benefit of manure as a soil amendment is improvement in soil 
tilth as well as providing food for soil bacteria. As a fertilizer, it is an 
unbalanced one at best being very low in phosphate. Additionally, the 
proportion of plant nutrients it contains varies with the animals diet.

Manure as a fertilizer can be improved greatly with the addition of super 
phosphate in the proportion of 2.5% by weight (50 pounds per ton). This ton 
produces fertilizer equal to about 100 pounds of 10-15-10 chemical 
fertilizer. The addition of super phosphate has the additional benefit of 
inhibiting the escape of nitrogen rich ammonia during the fermentation 
process.

Organic matter is organic matter regardless of the source. Compost, wood 
chips, alfalfa, hay, straw, manure (goat, sheep, cow, horse, llama) are all 
essentially the same thing with some variation in the plant nutrients they 
will ultimately provide. They are organic matter at different stages of in 
the fermentation/decomposition process.

Horse and sheep manure are more readily fermentable than cow manure and for 
that reason may sometimes produce effects quicker but results that are 
essentially no different (you would need to add about 60 pounds of super 
phosphate per ton to balance it). Even so, there is no something for nothing. 
Cow manure releases its nutrients slower over a longer period of time. The 
rate of decomposition is accelerated for all manure by, cultivation, good 
drainage, warm temperatures, and a neutral pH. Decomposition by soil 
organisms (earthworms, bacteria, fungi, and others) is necessary before the 
nitrogen and mineral plant foods are converted to inorganic forms that can be 
used by plants. So Donald, maybe this addresses your question.

To reiterate, manure is beneficial to soil tilth and hence to plant growth. 
It's importance is sometimes over emphasized and it's functions are 
unfortunately, surrounded by misconceptions. It serves two principle 
functions.

(1) It acts as a store house for plant nutrients and releases them slowly 
over time, mostly during warm weather.
(2) It improves the physical structure (tilth) of the soil resulting in 
easier absorption of water, improved water holding capacity, less erosion, 
less crusting and clodding, more favorable seed germination, better 
conditions for root development and growth.

It's addition (any type) to soil in a composted state is generally good but 
it performs magic only for those on whom suger pills work.

Smilin' cause my wife said I was capable of writin' a manure post only 
because I was full of it.

Bill Burleson 7a/b
Old South Iris Society









 



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