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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: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
  • To: emitch@att.net, livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] What to do when the mulch runs out?
  • Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 21:12:17 -0600


If weeds grow there, so will comfrey.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net


*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 5/31/2007 at 7:09 PM E. E. Mitchamore Jr wrote:

>Comfrey is often recommended for the reasons you mention. However, I've
>been wondering whether it will perform as desired on my 6" of clay over
>500' of limestone. Will Comfrey roots find the cracks in the rock like
>natives do? I don't know where you go to learn this kind of stuff.
>
>E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
>
>Trying not to be guilty of Hubris, but
>Certainly guilty of Ignorance.
>
>www.hillcountrynatives.biz
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Harvey Ussery
> To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
> Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 11:42 AM
> Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] What to do when the mulch runs out?
>
>
> > When you don't bring organic matter in, but produce it on site, how do
>you assure that all the minerals are present and being replenished in
>sufficient quantity? Periodic soil tests?
> >
> > E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
>
> Grow lots of comfrey (and other dynamic accumulators--but comfrey is one

> of the best). Comfrey's roots grow 8-10 feet into the soil, tapping into

> reserves of minerals that may not even be present in the top of the soil

> profile, and making those minerals available to more shallow-rooted
>plants.
>
> I am propagating comfrey to the maximum I have the time to do so (it's
> extremely easy to propagate)--I have far more of it now than a couple of

> years ago, when I started the big push to fit it in along the borders,
> under fruit and nut trees, out on the poultry pasture (where the birds
> can self-harvest it), in every nook and cranny. A couple of days ago I
> harvested a dozen wheelbarrow loads or more to mulch my potatoes.
>
> ~Harvey
> --
> Harvey in northern Va
> www.themodernhomestead.us
>
> "Earth's plant communities have been doing their job for at least 500
> million years; only extreme hubris would lead us to believe we could do
> a better job through an agricultural science not even one hundred years
> old." ~Stephen Harrod Buhner, The Lost Language of Plants
> _______________________________________________







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