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homestead - Re: [Homestead] Soil remineralization beyond NPK

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  • From: "Gloria Morris" <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Soil remineralization beyond NPK
  • Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 14:27:41 -0600

Boy, I'm slow at responding to this one, but I've been otherwise occupied of
late.

I think that the use of leaves and twigs and limbs of trees, including oaks,
is of huge importance in adding micro and macro nutrients back into the
soil. I've done this in several ways over the years. In the fall, I apply a
layer of leaves over the garden. Being surrounded by a forest at my new
homestead, there is no shortage of leaves, and a great many of those are
oak. I also compost leaves and twigs, and add the resulting compost to the
soil (of course, that compost also consists of animal manures, kitchen
scraps, and, occasionally, entire animals - pretty much, if it is organic, I
will compost it!). And, I use wood ashes as well, as they are rich in
minerals. One does not want to over-do anything, including this, but I think
the use of tree by-products helps to build soil health. My Dad did it for
many years, and he turned a few acres of barren sand that could hardly
sustain a crop into some of the most beautiful, healthy, productive soil
I've ever seen. I hope my own patch of sand will one day be as rich as that!

Gloria

On Jan 2, 2008 6:35 PM, EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:

>
>
> Gene GeRue wrote:
>
> > In addition to obtaining and applying mineral dust we can grow plants
> > with deep root systems that mine minerals from depths far below
> > typical garden plant roots. These include alfalfa, dandelion and
> > trees. While most tree roots are within fifteen feet of the surface,
> > certain oak tree roots have been found nearly 200 feet in caves. It
> > follows that the leaves and rotted remains of deceased oaks may well
> > contain a store of essential minerals. I typically place a thick
> > layer of fallen oak limb pieces in the bottom of new raised beds.
>
>




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