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  • From: Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Wrong Fertilizers, right fertilizers
  • Date: Mon, 02 Sep 2002 08:39:48 -0500

At 06:29 PM 8/30/02 -0400, you wrote:
Mark,

I recently got the soil sample results from my 3 small organic plots. They each
show different values but none are in the deficient range. The problem is that
each plot has excessive levels of various nutrients/elements (is that what they
are?): two plots have too much calcium and the other has too much phosphorus,
pH, and organic matter (is it possible to have too much organic matter?).

Hmmm. Unless you're really exceptional I would guess you have nothing to worry about with those "excesses". Do you have base saturation %'s for P,K,Ca,Mg? That makes it much easier for me to give you a good answer. Whats the OM%? It's pretty hard to have too much, especially well broken down OM (humas).

What I'm getting at is that you suggested to Frank to halve the dose recommended
by the soil testing service (mine is the U of Maine). Is this because it's
easier to add nutrients than balance excessive nutrients?

Ted

No, my advise was specifically if you only have access to high salt index or other fertilizers that are harsh (potassium chloride etc.) This is to limit the damage to soil life. In industrial farm circles this is known as a split application. Balancing isn't really that hard once you understand the effect one mineral may have on another or the soil particles ability to hold a given element. For example, lower pH liberates trace minerals. Ca can be used to displace excess K from the soil. Note that the season you do this your forage ends up with tons of K in it since it's so easy for the plants to take it up.

Mark wrote:

>
> Frank, my guess is that you may have a hard time finding many of these
> better materials at reasonable prices. If it was me and a soil test showed
> a pressing need for something I'd apply half the dose recommended by the
> locals and carefully observe the results. Maybe you should become a bio ag
> consultant...
>
> >_____________________________________________
> >permaculture mailing list
> >permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> >http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
>
> Mark P. Ludwig
> Poultry Research Lab
> University of Wisconsin -Madison
> 608-262-1730 WK
> 608-846-7125 HM

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Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM




  • Re: [permaculture] Wrong Fertilizers, right fertilizers, Mark, 09/02/2002

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