North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@bellsouth.net>]

On 12/29/2011 3:24 AM, Judi Stewart wrote:

> I had been picking up granite dust fines from a local quarry and spreading
> about 10 pounds under each fruit tree canopy.  Then I added the rock dust to
> a working compost, applied it after a time and saw that this method was an
> improvement. But the little I've been able to find out about the
> agricultural uses of pyrophyllite, tells me that this clay is an outstanding
> soil amendment and far superior to other clays or dusts.  I'm in western
> Washington, did as you suggested and found mines in California and Oregon.

That's great Judi. Could you give me the link to the info about it being 
a superior product? Glad you will at least be able to find some fairly 
near you. Another idea: call Piedmont Minerals, Martin Marietta or the 
companies owning the mines you located in California and Oregon ans ask 
them if there are any sources in your immediate area.

Here's a description of how I used rock dusts mixed by a skid loader 
with manures and compost to build the soil on my 6+ acre farm.
<>
I have used on my 6+ acre farmland Yeoman's plows, giant hiller bedder
cultivator 
(https://picasaweb.google.com/103223907782626104592/TractorEquipment), 
rotavator, hundreds of tons of several types of rock dusts, hundreds of 
tons of manures and compost, greensand, azomite, rock and colloidal 
phoshate and assorted other natural soil amendments. I did a once for 
all time massive soil building program then sold all the equipment and 
now work my beds by hand, basically no or minimum till 
(https://picasaweb.google.com/103223907782626104592/GardenTools). I am 
now in the camp of no till with minimum till when absolutely necessary, 
let weeds or crops take care of weed problems. It works. You would be 
surprised at how naturally-occuring stands of goldenrod, ragweed or 
daisy and lambs quarter will create bare ground underneath them.
<>

LL


> > > This will include azomite, pyrophyllite and granite dusts. The
> > > pyrophyllite promotes amazing feeder root growth, ideal for vegetable
> > > and herb starts as well as fruit seedlings of all sizes and types.

> What I have came from Piedmont Minerals in Hillsborough, NC. It produces
> bagged pyrophyllite for sale to the steel and ceramics industries. It is
> stable dimensionally under heat.

> There is a lot of talc in it. I think that may be what makes it a great
> potting or planting medium for stimulating plant feeder root growth.

> I have used other rock dusts: granite and volcanic tuff (very hard but
> ground finer that anything else I have used). The MSDS indicates .2% potash.
> At the mine it is free for the hauling - they load for free - you pay for
> hauling.

> Free quarry rock dusts used on gardens or orchards will give plants disease
> and insect resistance and outstanding flavor, appearance, keeping qualities
> of harvested crops. The added flavor of vegetables grown in remineralized
> soils gives the farmer the competitive edge.

> I would suggest Googling pyrophyllite mine or quarry in the US to find
> locations of companies mining this product near you.

> Its uses:
> seed starting medium
> potting medium
> field crop or orchard soil amendment

> It is an unusual material and very effective at improving soil quality and
> growing conditions for crops of all sorts. Obtain an MSDS to see the
> chemical analysis of it and percentages of minerals it contains.