Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Soilsecrets@aol.com]

Paul,

 

The area near Snowflake is just as you described, barren and perhaps nearly toxic.  The site has no preexisting native grass, only declining Juniperus and Ephedra shrubs and maybe if you look hard some snake weed.  The soil is decomposed mineral and very easy to dig, but it has absolutely no humus or life.  In the case of this site on the original farm plot, intensive compost application, mulching and double digging was made.  From the get go the soil became productive and growing of produce was successful, but the growth of humus and the formation of a humus rich A horizon was not happening.  The aridity of the site, heat of the summer and  starvation of the soil life was robbing the carbon from the soil faster than it could be applied.  The farm size is now being expanded and with the use of Soil Secrets humus Inoculants the soil is very productive from the start, first season with huge yields.  The areas that have been retreated for up to 4 years are those areas showing a humus rich topsoil zone that is at least 3 inches deep.  In many areas it is much deeper.  There's a technical explanation for the rapid accumulation of humus that is not happening on the site, above and beyond what is being applied as a supplement, and I'd be glad to share that with anyone who asks.  But I don't want to tie up space on this venue with scientific jargon and details.  If the science is good it will work.  We are now doing a lot of work with some international agencies and governments on the concept of carbon sequestering via humus and Glomalin formation in the soil, and that is the same thing that this site in Arizona is exemplifying. 

 

Michael M. Melendrez