----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 9:54
PM
Subject: clay soil
Hi Cordelia from the land down under
This is my first query to all
of you. We have just moved to some land in
southern Maine and have
just rototilled our first patch of soil with the
hopes of working this land
biodynamically.
>> get rid of the rototiller - agressive tillage of these sticky
clay soils is the quickest way to make them worse. - make sure any cultivation
is done with the soil a little on the dry side - never work it wet.
>> you have an unbalanced soil with low calcium / high
magnesium (and probably sodium) - you need to build calcium levels using
high calcium lime (not dolomite) - you need to get air into the soil - and
need to get organic matter back into the cycle - while you wait to get compost
going and all of the other nice things - if this is a garden sized plot
and you're in a hurry try some straw mulch with a bit of molasses and fish and
kelp fertiliser to get something started - if its paddock sized plant a cover
crop of grass with a bulky agressive root system (rye grass) and turn it back
in with a chisel plow
It appears to be solid clay. Hard, golfball-sized
rocks.
>>I would expect this from a rototiller or a offset disk when
the soil was wet
What are your best, first recommendations for beginning to
build this soil, given that we just got here and have not yet had the time to
start a serious composting
effort?
A local landscaper (not BD) says
he has had his best luck with loads of peat
mixed with compost and some
sand then that is rototilled into the clay.
>> this guy is not fixing the problem - all he is doing is diluting
the clay out with enough sand and peat that its no longer a clay soil - will
work but what is the cost?
It seems I remember Steiner nixing peat in the
Agriculture book. So what do
you experienced farmers know about
peat?>> I reckon peat is pretty dead - useful but no life in it
>> You would probably get a good result from a decent quality
Humate
Also what about gypsum?
>>the conventional cure is gypsum
and you can get a quick fix that way but a lot of your fertility will go down
the drain in the process - use a little bit of gypsum to start the process
(say 200 to 400 pounds to the acre - no more - the "experts" will tell you 2
to 4 tons )
Any and all advice is welcomed. My husband is wondering whether
we ought
not go into the clay pot or brick business instead! You will be
surprised how quick you can make some progress !
>>With quality biological inputs, non toxic fertiliser program,
stubble retention and judicious tillage with tyned implements we have turned
soil like this around in three years (oops and a field broadcaster putting out
the bd preps) and on a smaller scale should take less time
Have lots of fun and learn heaps of new stuff
Cheers
Lloyd Charles
