Re: [compost_tea] Re: Watering (orchard mulch)

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 14:01:31 EST

I'll have to track down the work that has been done that shows the fresh
material has phenol, terpenes and tannins that are quite detrimental to plants
whose roots are limited to teh surface layers.

The chips need to matured by aerating, or by placing in piles to mature long
enough to allow the volatiles to blow off, and give the bacteria time to do
their N-immobilization regime, get enough protozoa back in the pile to start
nutrient cycling.

You might want to check with the operation and make sure that they aren't
actually allowing the piles to mature.

Malcolm Beck would be a great reference to talk to about this, as I think he
was one of the first to show that putting fresh chips down on poor soil under
trees could be really detrimental.

Elaine R. Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
Soil Foodweb Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
Soil Foodweb Inc., South Africa







Received on Tue Nov 09 2004 - 15:09:28 EST

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