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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] What to do when the mulch runs out?

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: Dieter Brand <diebrand@yahoo.com>
  • To: "E. E. Mitchamore Jr" <emitch@att.net>, Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] What to do when the mulch runs out?
  • Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 07:44:27 -0700 (PDT)

The idea of “soil deficiencies” has been drilled into our heads by the
agrochemical industries together with the methods of NPK fertilization.
In many cases a deficiency in the soil is an indication of a soil imbalance
caused exactly by these same methods. I read about a case where a soil
was diagnosed to be deficient in calcium; on closer investigation it was
found that the soil sits on a bedrock of calcareous stone. Years of
treatment with synthetic fertilizers and other chemicals had reduced
biological activity to the point where earthworms and other small
creatures, which would have transported the calcium from the lower
levels and make it available to plants, had become extinct. The solution
of modern agriculture is to treat the symptoms by adding year after year
calcium to a soil that already has a superabundance of calcium. Organic
farming, on the other hand, allows the soil to restore its own balance
through biological activity by returning organic matter to the soil. If my
soil produces healthy plants that means that the soil is healthy and that I
can eat my plants without worrying about my teeth falling out all of a
sudden. And I certainly need no laboratory telling me that my soil needs
another shot in the arm.
 
Regarding the original request about the disappearing mulch, it should
be noted that the purpose of mulching is to maintain or increase soil fertility
by adding organic matter. Thus, the disappearance, or decomposition of
mulch into the soil, is the desired outcome. Mulch should not be applied
so as to suppress all growth, on the contrary, plant growth (even that of
weeds) means increased biological activity in the soil and sequestration of
nutrients from the air, which combined result in increased soil fertility.
 
Dieter Brand
Portugal


"E. E. Mitchamore Jr" <emitch@att.net> wrote:
I'm inclined to agree about soil tests, but I'm a bit uneasy with the idea of all of the organic input for the soil, and all of our food, coming from the same piece of land.  It was just coincidence, but I read about this in one of Jeavons' booklets just yesterday.  That's why it was on my mind.  If there is a deficiency in a particular site, it would be exaggerated over the years.  If it's not in the soil, it's not in the food.  Mel Bertholomew (Square Foot Gardening) made a good point, I think, in advocating compost input from multiple sources.  In our diets and everything else, diversity is good.  If the diet for both the plants and the people consuming them is lacking in something, it can't be good.
 
Personally, I'm starting with purchased compost.   It's on a small scale, so cost is not a problem, but I expect I'll need to "grow my own" as the scale increases.  I guess I'll attempt to bring in some Greensand and compost as long as I can, just to cover the unknown.
 
E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
www.hillcountrynatives.biz
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 7:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] What to do when the mulch runs out?

Mitch,
 
Soil test are no good unless it is an organic soil test which runs nearly $100 here in TX.  I really do not get very excited about soil testing  anyway.  I have not had one done in 20 years.  When you do the things mentioned previously, the soil is right.  That $100 is better spent increasing the organic matter.
 
I do not think "hi-tech" except with computers.
 
Ken H


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