Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: soil and compost:

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: SCook21809 AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: soil and compost:
  • Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:45:28 EST


Bob & Bonnie brought up a very good point that is often over looked by
growers with an organic or sustainable bent. I became aware that my soils
were "constipated soils" when my organic (OM) tests kept coming back higher
and higher. The critters in the compost had a pretty tough life in my clay
soil. The soil was tight, airless, hydrophobic and the prevalent microbes
were anaerobes. Four years of adding 10 tons of compost per acre and my OM
was at or above 10%. I was advised to stop with the compost for the same
concerns of inviting soil pests.
I started experimenting by making compost tea and sprayed it on my soils.
Three things happened: my OM fell to a much more reasonable 5 to 6%; the
clay opened up to allow more air and water in; and Buttercup, which had long
been an invasive weed, receded from the growing areas to the machine aisles.
I only use about 3 tons of compost per acre now. Mostly as a mulch that
is turned in when I plant cover crops. I have very biologically robust soil
now and experienced no fungal disease for two and a half seasons. Which
makes me think that the diversity and mass of microbes (and their
metabolites) found in the compost applied are responsible for many of the
beneficial effects of compost.

Art Biggert
Ocean Sky Farm
Bainbridge Island, WA



  • Re: soil and compost:, SCook21809, 02/26/2000

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page