[compost_tea] Strawberries and Salts

From: chris reid <reidchris_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 07:49:47 -0500

Mike Harvey's post on high salt levels/low organic matter in soil was very
interesting and useful. This is an area I haven't seen talked about much on
the list -- considerations on the soil condition that affect how and what
you apply. Past conversations have touched on compaction in a quite useful
way -- maybe I haven't read far enough in the archives, but I haven't come
across this discussion of salts and organic matter in soil before.

Mike, if you happen to have the details, when you say high salt levels, how
high? And when you say low organic matter, how low? And by low organic
matter are you referring to active or passive fraction (what I mean to say
is new or more permanent organic matter)? Was any food put down with the
tea prior to considering molasses, or was it straight tea?

I just read a statement in an old meeting transcript (that touched on
minerals and pest control) this weekend in which Elliot Coleman was saying
that the "organic matter" rating or numbers on typical soil tests is useless
(his word) to organic farmers, because it does not refer to the fresh
organic matter put down but the more permanently held organic matter.

I am going to ask the lab that does my tests what their "organic matter"
term means. I had been (mis)using it to indicate that there was sufficient
organic matter in the soil -- not necessarily so. I put down an organic
mulch but no compost on a test that came back "medium high". Hmmm. How far
will my fish hydrolysate, kelp and humic acid carry that soil and tea?

Chris Reid



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Received on Tue Oct 28 2003 - 09:35:36 EST

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