[compost_tea] Re: Re: Re: Yucca

From: Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2003 12:25:33 -0800

Laura -- I have no idea what botanical variety it is. How can I tell? I do
know it's yucca because I grew up with yucca in southwest US deserts.
Smaller (3' high and round) than Sonoran yuccas, greener, slimmer fronds (2"
wide and one I just plucked is 33" long), seem to bloom semi-annually - only
been here 4 years and they've bloomed twice, anyway - early summer, 6' X 1
1/2" woody green shaft, many ivory 1 1/2" 5-6 petal flowers unfold on stems
top half. No distinct odor, a little must, and just beautiful - whole bloom
is 2-3 feet long, 7-8" diameter, hundreds of flowers, seems like. What does
that sound
like?

Haven't tried harvesting or processing, either. I assume the saponin
extract is taken from the roots? They are white, pithy masses, turnip-like
but not as dense. There's probably a botanical name for the type of root
but I don't know what it is. Descend a couple feet here, maybe more.
Create sandy soil. Been here some time, 10-20 years at least, I think. Grow
slow but vigorously. I tried to remove one at porch entrance is why I know
about roots and soil effect - came back just as strong next year - have
learned how to trim so as not to be so threatening...:-) Have thorny hard
sharp frond ends typical of yuccas, so if I was only 3 feet tall I'd be
threatened anyway... If the saponin is extracted from fronds I might get
into the biz because they are prolific.

If the "Mojave" you refer to is Mojave desert, I'd think this is a close
relative, as I've seen similar yucca plants growing pretty much continuously
between here and there. Called a "St. Agnes palm" by North Cal nurseries,
as I recall.

Is this OT? Should we take off line?

!! Fantastic report from Matthew Ryan today, by the way. Thanks, Matt!
Having both tea and compost readings and soil tests and everything spelled
out and named so clearly is most valuable. Think you might bump up
compost, drop comfrey and corn gluten, maybe one of the humates, for better
tea results. My guess, anyway. Interesting question: what are different
effects using soluble vs. insoluble humic sources? I'd think soluble
humates have an advantage in tea, insolubles in compost?

Kirk L










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Received on Sat Nov 22 2003 - 15:49:16 EST

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