Inoculating the compost pile is probably a better, long-term solution to
mineral balancing. Rock powders could be added to ACT as a fertility fix,
but I question how much chelation would occur during the 24 hour process.
Your minerals would be right there for the biology "once you hit the
ground". The quantity of powders being added to the ACT might also be
difficult to put into solution. How bout using a liquid formulation?
Have you done an Albrecht CEC or Reams soil test? You mention adding Mg
(dolomite). Are you sure those sticky, red tropical clays need Mg?
Usually, if it sticks to your boot, there is too much Mg present.
Pura vida.
Tim
-----Original Message-----
From: vanilla_at_racsa.co.cr [mailto:vanilla_at_racsa.co.cr]
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2004 10:36 PM
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: [compost_tea] Re: chelating minerals with ACT
My exposure to and understanding of the principles of anaerobic manure
tea is to chelate specific minerals for deficienct soils. The
methodology I have seen is; the practitioner combines rock minerals
like NPK, calcium, magnesium etc with manure in a sealed drum that is
left alone for a period of several weeks and then applied to the soil.
This is something along the line that Will Brinton is promoting. My
question is anyone experimenting/investigating with this approach in
compost tea.
In other words if I wanted to improve my magnesium and calcium balance
can I put these minerals in rock powder form in my tea and have the
microbiology digest the minerals, ala earthworms style, and have the
minerals available in colloidal form, de una vez, for my plants and
soil? Dr. Ingham insists that we need to get our minerals balanced
first for the microbiology to be fully effective. Following up on the
rock powder additive practice of many ACT users my query is - has
anybody researched the results of mineral additives. I am experimenting
with bentonite ( a montmorenilite sp? clay, which BYW has disease
suppression properties of its own) to my teas and the clay blends very
well into the tea, unlike the results of mixing calcium carbonate with
water which tends to clump. I also apply the bentonite as a skin to my
compost piles, a biodynamic practice. Or should we be innoculating our
compost with dolomite and let the critters digest the minerals first for
use later in the compost tea?
Hank
Costa Rica.
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Received on Sun Jun 13 2004 - 11:19:00 EDT