[pbs] Greensand
Deborah Jordan
djordan68 at comcast.net
Mon Sep 29 20:15:06 EDT 2008
Hi Dell--
I use it mixed in with potting mixes--I use a form from Texas.
Regards,
Debbie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Narad (Richard Eggenberger)" <narad at alltel.net>
To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 7:14 PM
Subject: Re: [pbs] Greensand
> Dell,
>
> In Rodale's 1978 Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening he writes to
> following:
>
> "Glauconite greensand or greensand marl is an iron potassium silicate
> that imparts a green color to the minerals in which it occurs. Being
> an undersea deposit, greensand contains traces of many if not all the
> elements which occur in seawater. It has been used for more than a
> hundred years and is a fine source of potash.
>
> Greensand is commonly called a glauconite potash mineral, because it
> contains from 5 t0 6 percent of available potash. The best deposits
> contain, in addition to the potash, 50 percent silica, 18 to 23
> percent magnesia, small amounts of lime and phosphoric acid, and
> traces of 30 or more other elements, most of which are important in
> the nutrition of the higher plants.
>
> Factors underlying the immediate response of grasses to greensand seem
> to be greensand's ability to absorb and hold large amounts of water in
> the surface layer of the soil where the plant roots feed and to slowly
> release, over a long period of time, the potassium to stimulate
> photosynthesis. In addition it contains the trace elements which may
> be deficient in the soil or in the surface layer of the soil in which
> the grass roots feed.
>
> Greensand is so fine that it may be used in its natural form with no
> processing except drying if the material is to pass through a
> fertilizer drill. An application consists of about 1/4 pound of
> greensand per square foot of soil, but you may want to spread it
> thinner. It may be applied at any time spring or fall without danger
> of injuring plants, but , since greensand contains aluminum, do not
> over apply. It may be applied on the surface in sheet composting, or
> used in the compost heap to stimulate bacterial action and enrich the
> compost.
>
> Hope this may be of some use.
>
> Richard Eggenberger (Narad)
>
>
> On 29, Sep 2008, at 6:44 PM, Dell Sherk wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>>
>>
>> I would like to know about the wisdom of using greensand in potting
>> mixes or
>> as a top dressing as a source of potassium and trace minerals. I
>> read that
>> it weathers quickly making the various minerals easily available to
>> plants.
>> I have used it in the vegetable garden for some years, especially on
>> root
>> crops, with success that cannot be directly related to greensand. I
>> think
>> that it is a good, "kind" source of potassium, but I am wondering to
>> what
>> extent the trace elements are available.
>>
>>
>>
>> Dell, in SE Pennsylvania, USA, Zone 6/7
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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