Re: [compost_tea] Rock Dust

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 18:19:12 EST

when ever you use a salt in a tea mix, you are holding water away from the
organisms. Exactly which organisms suffer most? It depends on the full mix of
what you have. But aluminium silicate, potassium silicate, or whatever, is a
drying agent.

But when you add it to leaf surfaces in water, it's drying effect is not
likely to be big.

And that's what the mildew folks mean when they add salts to materials.
Apply to leaf surfaces, water evaporates, and the drying effect of the salt is
detrimental to mildew. And other things.

Useful knowledge if you have an outbreak and want to do something about the
mildew. Knocking mildew back first, using baking soda, (e.g., Armicarb), or
other versions (Kalligreen, which is potassium hydroxide), and then coming along
with the better community of protective organisms is probably the way to go.

But adding rock dust to control mildew? Hum, only if you get the dehydration
process somehow.

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 Fri Nov 26 2004 - 21:24:36 EST

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