Re: [compost_tea] Adding Lime/Calcium to Soil

From: Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net>
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 10:12:25 -0800

I have used calcium carbonate to buffer ph in compost in certain situations=
. I have also used it in worm bins to buffer ph. I have read Arden's work=
 and I would only question is Arden is adding the cal. carb. because he wan=
ts to add salt or buffer acidic reactions from the increased biological act=
ivity.

In every single soil test I have taken using tea I have brewed, I have seen=
 a rise in salinity. Sometimes the rise is very small and sometimes larger=
 but all is below toxic levels for salt. So I wonder if CT -- I should spe=
cify my CT because I don't know if anyone else takes soil tests like I do t=
o measure soil properties. So, it could be my tea here. I have growers wh=
o use my and other recipes and soil tests I take indicate the same but they=
 are still using my methodologies and these could be the cause of the salin=
e rise. -- use wouldn't or couldn't obviate the application of salts.

Ted Peterson
SOE


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com
  To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 6:57 AM
  Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Adding Lime/Calcium to Soil


  Adding calcium to the soil will harm the organisms in that soil.

  Calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, calcium nitrate - all inorganic salts=
.

  Salt, in whatever form you add it, takes water away from your organisms. =
 If you happen to add a salt when you are adding water, or when alot of rai=
n is occurring, taking water away from your organisms is less of a worry, b=
ut then think.

  Salt moves with water. So where is any soluble material you are adding g=
oing if you add a salt when there is alot of water in the soil? Yep, righ=
t out of the rooting zone of your plant.

  The proverbial catch - 22, right?

  Add the calcium to your compost pile. This way the organisms tie-up the =
calicum in PLANT AVAILABLE forms, instead of in a salt where the organisms =
will be harmed. Add calcium carbonate to the compost at 1/60 of what the r=
ecommendation was for your soil. Why so much lower? Because you won't hav=
e the leaching losses. The beneficial biology grabs the calcium and holds =
it in organic forms.

  This work was developed with Arden Anderson, and he has been doing testin=
g in Mexico. Arden still likes to add a little salt (calcium carbonate) di=
rectly to the soil, but no more than 100 pounds per ac of the salt to the s=
oil, the rest of the addition to the compost, usually 70 to 100 pounds per =
ton of compost. Use half a ton of compost to teh acre then, and we are see=
ing the same benefit to the soil as adding the tons and tons of lime or gyp=
sum.

  OK? We go over this in any SFI course being given now. Please come to t=
he Fresno seminar that Arden and I are giving together in January 24, 25, 2=
6 the end of this month. We'll be covering this biologically friendly way =
to apply nutrients.
  --
  Elaine Ingham
  President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
  SFI Corvallis, OR
  SFI Port Jefferson, NY
  SFI Lismore, NSW, Australia
  SFI Cambridge, New Zealand
  SFI Culiacan, Mexico
  SFI Jerome, Idaho
  SFI South Africa
  http://www.soilfoodweb.com



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Received on Tue Jan 11 2005 - 15:56:20 EST

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