Hi! John, One of the big dangers of just building up non composted OM, is the resulting Nitrogen draw down. Even with slashed green manure, it is necessary to make sure there is enough nitrogen available, thus some portion should be a legume or other nitrogen fixer. Good compost, particularly if made with BD preps is a long way toward soil biota food and then on to the all important humic acid. If you get it right, the soil biota will get involved in "Elemental Biological Transmutation". Hugh has probably posted on this. It is the condition in an ideal soil, where by the biota actually disassemble elements and make those needed, getting rid of those which are not needed. This where the chemical analysis of highly productive organic systems is less important. As if you can get a good mix of soil biota, with a food source, in the right conditions, it will essentially make what ever is needed. A well managed BD environment will do this.
One of the things I think is important, is care of the compost if not used as soon as made. It is a living thing and must not be allowed to dry out or get too wet etc. If left for long, get some worms working it over and if necessary feed them on the top. Under Australian conditions, it really needs protection with mulch, after placing, or the hot sun will wreck much of it. The mulch must have a supply of nitrogen to compensate during break down. So you may in your vine yard grow a legume green manure, slash it at flowering, pull it aside, place the compost and then cover with the green manure. If you have worms established before spreading, they will help work it into the soil, where it needs to be for maximum effect. Other wise the feeder roots are forced to the surface to get to it, putting them at risk from many fronts. It is much better to get the worms, under mulch to work the compost in. No man directed cultivation is that gentle. If you are going to add some paramagnetic rock dust, I would mix it with the compost during the making process and the biota in the compost have started working on it before it is spread. It is also in contact with the hardest working part of the soil profile, where it will do most good, A few hundred Kilos a Hectare in the right place is worth many tonnes in the wrong place. There is little point placing compost or rock dust outside the root run. Total OM means little, it is the amount that is in the form of Humic acid that counts. Om without soil biota, moisture and biota food is like a vault full of money in the wrong currency and no money changer. Compost with out mulch, in Australian conditions is like throwing bank notes of top of the soil and expecting them to be there at the end or the season. Gil
