[compost_tea] ask your questions!!

From: John Cowan <vivax_at_northlink.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 10:13:33 -0700

Elaine said:
Go ahead and ask your questions here or one-on-one. Now is a good time,
'cause in a week, I start traveling again, and can't spend as much time
here. And today, I'm snowed in! Forced to take a day off! Wait a
minute..... day off? What am I doing on-line!!!!!!
____________________

Hi Elaine,

I've been wanting some clarification on the impact of sulfur on the SFW. I
understand that raw sulfur, sulfides, and sulfites are bad because of their
toxic nature. I thought that sulfates, though, were relatively non-toxic up
to maybe 35 ppm SO4-S in the soil. Especially in Southwestern soils, I would
think that gypsum (CaSO4) would be a good source of sulfate, which tends to
be deficient on conventional soil tests, since it is only slightly soluble
and supplies somewhat readily available calcium. I can see, though, that the
sulfate in gypsum can become more ionic (salty) as it reacts with other
cations in the soil and possibly cause a problem for the microbes.

The question is how much is problematic. I think you mentioned 100#/ac. This
is a quite conservative amount. Is this per application or per year? Fine
powder or coarser material?

I do understand the necessity of chelating as much minerals as possible in
the soil biology for ideal stability and root feeding. Is this another case
like nitrates where the necessary levels in a bio-active soil for excellent
production are much lower than conventional wisdom?

Thanks,

John Cowan




 

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Received on Wed Jan 07 2004 - 12:48:55 EST

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