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  • From: darko nikolic <seaturtle333@yahoo.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Question about acidic soils in the tropics...
  • Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 19:23:20 -0800 (PST)

Thanks Francis that helps, especially the names of
species that work as green manure.
~Darko

--- ERDA Institute <erda@nor.com.au> wrote:
> Temperate strategies have limited application for
> high rainfall tropics -
> warm temperatures and high rainfall = constant
> leaching.
> To reduce negative impact of low pH add light
> applications of agricultural
> lime or dolomite (the latter if magnesium
> deficiency) - if these are
> unavailable use some wood ash but only very light
> applications - very
> alkaline. If you can access some natural gypsum, a
> light application after
> the wet season is most beneficial.
> Focus on living mulches (maku lotus, tropical
> clovers, local native ground
> covers) and tropical tree and shrub legumes that can
> be cut back (coppiced)
> regularly to build up mulch - organic matter breaks
> down fast in these
> climates so the trick is to have lots of living
> plants to cycle and store
> nutrients in the system.
> Good shrub legumes include perennial pigeon pea and
> crotalarias - you can
> establish vegies and fruit trees between them and
> cutting the back also
> released nitrogen for the food plants as well as
> protective mulch. The main
> thing with mulches is to suppress competitive weeds
> and protect the soil
> from impact of rain (soil & nutrient loss).
> If you use manures and composts, light applications
> every 6 weeks or so
> during rainy season rather than one big seasonal one
> (you'll lose most of
> the nutrient through leaching so just give the
> system what it can use)
> You won't get the same humus development in the soil
> as in temperate
> systems.
> Hope this helps
> Robyn Francis
>
> on 11/3/03 5:05 AM, darko nikolic at
> seaturtle333@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > Does anyone know about the best approach to
> > establishing a food production system in the
> > Panamanian high rainforest. The soil is acidic and
> > quite leached out due to overgrazing and high
> > rainfall.
> > My main question is how to deal with the soil?
> > Thanks,
> > Darko Nikolic
> >
> >
> >
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