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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflondon@mindspring.com>
  • To: permaculture
  • Subject: Re: granite fertilizer? (fwd)
  • Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 19:51:32 -0400


On Mon, 15 May 2000 12:29:49 -0700 (PDT), Toby Hemenway
<hemenway@jeffnet.org> wrote:


>>Anyone familiar with the book "Bread From Stones"?
>
>I've got a copy of this quirky little book; there's some fascinating stuff
>in it. It's basically a paean to rock dust (Dudley, search under that or
>"remineralization" or "remineralize the earth" for more sites). It also
>fights the "chemical-ag" prescriptions of Hensel's contemporary Justus von
>Liebig, the guy who, through some very narrow-minded experiments, concluded
>that NPK was enough for plant growth, and got the whole chemical ag ball
>rolling.

I read some comments about that not too long ago - I think that von
Leibig recanted his npk theory on his deathbed.

>One interesting note: Hensel compares soils high in calcium with those high
>in potassium. Calcium grows organisms that are heavy, strong, and thick.
>Potassium yields suppleness, flexibility, and lightness. The English
>imported hay from potassium-rich Hungary, which created light, fast horses
>that were the best for racing. The French horses, raised on calcium-rich
>soil, were heavy and big-boned, good for draft animals but not for polo or
>the track. Flax and linen from granite soil rich in K is more supple and
>soft than that from Ca-rich soil. Hensel ties this to human nutrition.

Fascinating. Great insights into soils and minerals and what dirt is
actually made of. I gleaned from 3 local quarries tandems loads of
1) pyrophylite (pond fines - very fine -200 mesh) - .2% potash
according to MSDS.
2) basalt ("bluestone")/fledspar/whatever pond fines - extremely
fine - equal to silt loam, almost clay
3) granite - pond fines - probably -400 mesh

pond fines are usuually free for the hauling and are of the finest
grit - will break down into plant-available nutrients the quickest

I've been putting these dusts on my gardens for several years -
expect to see more robust plant growth and expecially much
better developed root systems

LL
>

>There's good information in the Hensel book, but it's fairly diffuse and
>the whole book is a bit odd.
>
>Toby
>
>
>

Lawrence F. London, Jr. Venaura Farm ICQ#27930345
lflondon@mindspring.com london@metalab.unc.edu
metalab.unc.edu/intergarden InterGarden
metalab.unc.edu/permaculture PermaSphere
metalab.unc.edu/intergarden/orgfarm AGINFO




  • Re: granite fertilizer? (fwd), Lawrence F. London, Jr., 05/15/2000

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