In a message dated 10/21/2012 11:02:52 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
(My most recent conversations I am having had to do with the complimentary
use of "rock dust" ~ a.k.a. "agrominerals" and Biochar ... The use of
'agrominerals' is a technique that [unknown to me until recently] has actually
been honed by many folks at the University of Guelph over the past several
decades. With Biochar one should be able to create high quality inoculated
bio-chars that help to "free" the agrominerals [rock dust] of their
'nutrients' at a more accelerated rate.)
DD I have always wondered why limestone and other sedimentary rocks are
often thought of as pure calcium and magnesium carbonate for example. What
happened to all the other beneficial plant nutrient that was in those
decomposing shell creatures that formed the rock? Any sedimentary rock formed
since the evolution of primitive life forms surely has lots of micronutrients
and even possibly potassium salts dissolved within. All of these are
fertilizers of sorts, enabling the stabilization of nitrogen from the air in
the
presents of proper soil microbes.
Lately, I've been taking in a lot of info on the formation of gas and
oil deposits. Studying the evidence, it becomes obvious that these fossil
fuels and even coal can form in any sedimentary rock layer that contained
life forms. Only a persisting cover trap is necessary to hold the
hydrocarbons in. The same must be true for plant micronutrients, most of which
are
even easier to hold in the strata than hydrocarbon.
Lastly, igneous rocks usually have a wide variety of minerals also
contained within. The fact that most volcanic soils are very rich for plant
growth shows that is true. Only the metamorphic rocks have tended to degrade
to lowest terms, often but not always releasing the beneficial minerals
over time.
In conclusion, anything which encourages the fracturing and weathering
of rock will probably help plant life. Providing carbon type structures to
enable beneficial soil microbes to thrive then accelerates these
weathering processes as the acids produced such as carbonic acid break down
the
rock. This explains the main benefit of biochar. The saturated potassium and
phosphorous salts in ash in the char also give a short term boost to the
soil.
Dan Dimiduk _______________________________________________
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