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  • From: <sunnfarm AT netscape.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Excess phosphorus
  • Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:24:34 -0700

High phosphorus in your soil is like too many lumps in your mattress from
stuffing too much money into it
you just get used to it and enjoy it...My soils test very high in both P&K
and in my sweet corn fields I
only add nitrogen, after over 20 years very little P&K is lost. I still like
to add a small amount of
chemical fertilizer on vegetables as a starter just to get the roots out 12"
then let soil reserves take
over. I found that hairy vetch alone gives me more than enough N for the
season...Bob
Sunny Meadow Farm
Bridgeton, NJ.

--- pam AT twinoaks.org wrote:

From: "Pam Twin Oaks" <pam AT twinoaks.org>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [Market-farming] Excess phosphorus
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:03:11 -0400

Has anyone successfully reduced phosphorus levels in their soils,
while staying organic and without reducing crop production (much)?
Until a few years ago, we had P levels of 200-220 ppm. In 2005 we had
350-550ppm. In 2006 levels were down a bit, but I also switched labs.
In 2007 we had 250-300ppm, with 440in the intensive raised beds. i
know the theory is to stop adding compost or manure, and increase the
fertility by using leguminous cover crops (thus adding fertility
without more P, until more P gets used up). But in practice how can I
do this without drastically reducing the productivity of the land? Our
crops look great. Well, of course, not everything is perfect, we do
have weeds, but overall, we get lots of food. Some people say, if the
crops seem fine and the pH is good, if you're farming organically
don't worry, the plants will sort themselves out. Do others think this
is true??

Pam, Twin Oaks Community, Louisa, central Virginia, zone 7.
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