Re: [compost_tea] Re: Kudzu

From: butch ragland <wilddog_202_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 16:35:58 -0800 (PST)
Exactly what I was trying to learn with the question.
Still not exactly sure if nitrogen fixing plants are
superior to other green matter in the compost. The
direction I was going related to what I believed, that
the nitrogen was located in the nodules not the
foliage so it would not be superior to other green in
compost.

Now, are you further saying that the nitrogen in the
plant then composted and the nitrogen is now tied up
in the compost. Which is then superior to applied
chemical N. Do I get it?
--- soilfoodweb_at_aol.com wrote:



> Nitrogen is stored in the organisms in the soil, and
> in the organic matter 
> in the compost. 

> As Krasilnikov said, 75% of the nutrients in soil
> are stored in the 
> microorganisms. 

> We have to feed soil microbes, so they can perform
> their storage  function.  
> But by tying up nutrients in the soil bacteria and
> fungi,  then these
> nutrients don't leach out of the soil when snow melt
> occurs.  Or  when irrigation
> events are performed in the summer, or in any event
> where water  moves into the
> soil and past the root system. 

> Inorganic forms of N are the most leachable forms of
> N.  And therefore 
> really stupid to have in soil, unless you really
> want to destroy water  quality.  .


> Nitrate, nitrate and ammonium are highly leachable.
> If the soil  becomes
> anaerobic, then these aerobic forms of N are
> converted into the  anaerobic forms
> of N, and lost by volatilization.

> I have to laugh at a number of soil scientists who
> have actually said that 
> nitrate is not leachable in heavy clay soils that
> are saturated with  water. 
> First of all, in saturated soil, oxygen is likely
> limited, and the  soil will
> be anaerobic.  Nitrate is not present in these
> conditions, so of course it
> isn't leachable.    
>
> In anaerobic conditions, inorganic forms of nitrogen
>  are converted to
> anaerobic forms of N, and is lost  as ammonia
> (smelly!), or as nitrous oxide, for
> example. 

> Nitrate isn't leached in anaerobic conditions, but
> it sure is being lost!

> But, back to Butch's question. 

> In soils with good organic matter, N is retained in
> the bacteria and fungi, 
> stored for later nutrient cycling by protozoa,
> nematodes, and 
> microarthropods.  These cycling processes produce
> plant available forms of  N, in the place,
> time and amounts the plant needs. 

> Hope this helps!

> Elaine

> In a message dated 3/2/2005 1:21:41 P.M. Pacific
> Standard Time, 
> wilddog_202_at_yahoo.com writes:
>
>
> Where is the N stored.
> --- soilfoodweb_at_aol.com  wrote:
>
> > 
> > Harry McCormick gets the same kinds of  results,
> > using leaf litter and  clover
> > compost.  He  picks tomatoes from June to December
> in
> >  Oregon.  He  protects
> > the tomatoes from wind in plastic covered hoop
> >  houses,  but the houses stand
> > about 20 feet high, because the  tomatoes reach 12
> to
> > 14  feet high. 
> > 
> > 
> > If you want Harry's e-mail to talk to him
> yourself,
> > just  e-mail me and I  can
> > send you to him.  Alternatively, read  some of
> Eliot
> > Coleman's books,  where
> > he gets similar  results. 
> >
> > 
> > Part of the "secret" is using  a nitrogen-fixing
> > plant in the  compost mix. 
> > Kudzu  is a nitrogen-fixer, which is why the USDA
> > brought it  into the  US from
> > south-east Asia.  They just neglected to pay
> >  attention to  its ability to
> > produce rhizomes, and the fact that  it grows so
> > fast, it smothers  other plants
> > out.   Otherwise, it would be a great N-fixing
> cover
> > crop.  
> > 
> >
> > 
>
>
> 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
>
>

=====
Butch Ragland
Conflict is as addictive as
cocaine, alcohol, cigarettes,etc
I'm sorry to report that
cooperation is not


     
           
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Received on Thu Mar 03 2005 - 21:25:11 EST

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