Re: [compost_tea] Calcium (was Sulfur)

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 18:46:08 -0500

Can you tell, I am finally reading the list serve from the last little bit? And I am in a not-so-busy mode. Well, actually, I'm procrastinating from working on the compost book.....

OK, calcium....

In my opinion, you choose the form of calcium you want depending on the other nutrient needs your soil might have.

Extension folks tend to choose the form of calcium to play games with pH, but as Arden Anderson points out, there is no hydrogen in calcium carbonate. I know that it is the biology that determines soil pH, so I don't play pH games by messing with inorganic anything.

If you add nasty acid, yes, you will change soil pH, but you als owipe out your biology, adn then you are stuck using inorganic salts to try to grow things.

I add calcium to my soil as eggshells (calcium carbonate), since eggshells come with the protein your biology needs to deal with the shock of having that form of calcium dumped on them.

I add calcium to my compost as the cheapest form I can find, except not gypsum (calcium sulfate) unless I want to kill my fungi. Or if I need a small amount of sulfur, then I'll use a little gypsum.

I'd really recommend that you direct in-depth questions to Arden Anderson. Read his book on soils, available from ACRES. Then listen to some of his recent ACRES talks, available on tape from ACRES.

Arden and I have been working on the interaction of soil biology and soil chemistry for the last 4 years. I've changed what he recommends, and he has altered my take on soil chemistry as well. Arden has logical and well-thought through reason for everything he does. I enjoy interacting with him immensely.

Arden and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but we always agree to go collect more data if we don't agree. No use in arguing about something we don't have enough data to make a clear case. A couple times, he has come back with more data in a year or so, and I with more data, and we discover that we were both right, given the circumstances we were working in.

There is no one right way to grow things, that can be stated categorically around the globe. It is all relative. Use whatever form of calcium you want, especially if you are putting it into your compost. Just don't use high concentrations. OK?

Elaine Ingham


In a message dated 1/3/2004 4:43:10 PM Eastern Standard Time, js_at_olympus.net writes:

> Elaine,
>
> How does the average person know which form of calcium to use?
> I've used oyster shell flour exclusively, calcium carbonate.
> Should we use a calcium combination?
>
> I don't remember the source, but I remember having read that different
> parts of the country do better with one form of calcium
> than another.
> Is this so?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Judi



 

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Received on Sat Jan 03 2004 - 21:15:43 EST

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