Market Farming

[Peter Worsley <pwors AT svn.net>]

Thanks, Peg. That's about what I thought. Fish emulsion is foliar
applied, and not that often. I know the water is hard- lots of iron.
Peter

Peg Cook wrote:
> 
> Peter,
> The mineral deposits could be coming from the water and/or the fertilizer.
> Most liquid fertilizers (chemical) have a "salt base" which could be
> deposited.  In your case, being organic, if you are using Fish Emulsion,
> that could also contain enough salts to be causing mineral deposits.  The
> other questions is, do you have "hard" water.  This would be indicated by
> Calcium and/or Magnesium deposits.  Also, Sodium could come into play here
> as well.
> 
> As for the pH level, mineral deposits can raise pH levels, especially since
> they are alkaline based.
> 
> Hope this helps!
> 
> Peg Cook, Agronomist
> Cook's Consulting
> Lowville, NY.
> 
> pegcook AT northnet.org
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Peter Worsley <pwors AT svn.net>
> To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2000 6:01 PM
> Subject: Mineral deposits and PH
> 
> > I have a potential problem and a question-
> >
> > I use all drip irrigation, pumping water from a farm pond. I've noticed
> > that over a period of a couple months, a whitish deposit accumulates
> > around my emitters; eventually the entire top of my raised beds become
> > white and crusty. I assume this is some kind of a mineral deposit. I use
> > a 155 mesh filter, and one of those magnetic water conditioners that
> > strap around the outside of a 1" plastic pipe. The deposits dissapear
> > when tilling between crops, but eventually reappear. I've also noticed
> > that the ph of my soil is gradually increasing- this year for the first
> > time I had to add sulfur to lower the ph. Most of my crops seem ok,
> > except those in a certain area, which doesn't drain quite as well as
> > elsewhere. There, lettuce appears a little stunted, leaves less shiny,
> > taste a little bitter. I have sandy silt loam soil and am in a creek
> > valley which occasionally floods for short periods in winter. Soil tests
> > show only that the ph is high- everything else seems within normal
> > limits. My question is- Are raised ph and mineral deposits related? I
> > must assume they are. Any suggestions about what's going on and what can
> > be done about it? I'm organic, by the way. I'd especially appreciate
> > hearing from anyone in coastal Northern California (Marin or Sonoma
> > counties) which is where I am. Thanks- Peter
> >
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