A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.
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October 17, 2013 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 625
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Rock Dust?
I did a search on this forum but didn't find much info about it. Has anyone had great success with adding rock dust to your soil? I am considering it but would love to hear your stories on how it affected your garden.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/727/ http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/ga...does-grow.html |
October 17, 2013 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Near Reno, NV
Posts: 1,621
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Very interesting articles! There are a lot of quarries around here. I think this deserves some investigation over the Winter!
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October 17, 2013 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Durhamville,NY
Posts: 2,706
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I have several thoughts on this.
If an area is missing a trace mineral you aren't apt to get it near by. Rock dust is heavy. It's got to be in the area of 2500 lbs per yard. Very expensive to move any distance. I think if you pick the right rock dust based on a good soil test it could help. If you are just trying to over come depletion I think I'd lean toward gathering organic material and planting deep rooted crops for compost. The exception being ag lime. |
October 20, 2013 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 252
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I am currently using Basalt dust from a local quarry. I started last year with a dust that was reported to me to be 90% thru a #200 mesh screen. I added 1/3 lb /sq ft with my regular amendments of home made compost, dolomite lime and an organic seed meal fertilizer. This year I added another 1/3 lb / sq ft of a reported 50% thru a #200 mesh screen. So I'm up to 2/3 lb/sq ft. I'm proceeding with caution because I am in the continuing process of researching the use of using rock dust. My main interest is increasing the nutrient density and improving the taste of the food I grow. I do not use any chemicals in my gardening. My experience so far is that I believe that I am growing the best tasting vegetables I have ever grown. I routinely have other folks who I give produce to say that it is the best tasting produce they have ever had. Although I have no scientific proof that my yields are higher than before the rock dust, they continue to be excellent. My earthworm population continues to increase. I have run a controlled experiment with a small sample of 2 sets of tomatoes and believe the rock dust amended tomatoes were superior. However the sample size was too small to be conclusive. I'm very encouraged by the results so far. And by the way, I have picked up about 1800lbs from the quarry so far for free.
I started a thread on this forum called soil building for nutrient density which I will be updating shortly. Glenn |
October 21, 2013 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Iowa Zone 5
Posts: 305
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Pdx,
One thing I can contribute is a photo I took when our organic gardening club visited a natural farming operation last July. Everyone in attendance was impressed by the garden edibles area, including myself. Here’s a link to where we were at: http://www.growingngracenaturalfarm....egetables.html Anyway, I asked what their ‘secret’ to abundant success was, and he told us about their annual re-mineralizing. So I took a picture of the brochure: http://s494.photobucket.com/user/sim...ng%20N%20Grace So you can google Planters Foundation Minerals, - this is a source that some may find useful. -Randy
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Tomatovillain |
October 28, 2013 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 625
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Composter, I wish I had such a resource!
I think using rock dust to remineralize is a great idea. I did buy a 50 lb bag of Gaia Green glacial rock dust and have been sprinkling it around all my winter veggies. I am going to liberally sprinkle it on my community garden plots and then mulch with leaves to keep the weeds down. Then plant in it next spring and see what happens! I have heard it makes the veggies more delicious and nutritious as well. |
October 29, 2013 | #7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 252
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Quote:
As I have stated in my thread on building soils for nutrient density, the great thing about the rock dust is once you have remineralized you should not need to do it again for years if not decades. Glenn |
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October 29, 2013 | #8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
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Quote:
kath |
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October 29, 2013 | #9 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 252
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Quote:
Glenn |
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October 29, 2013 | #10 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
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Quote:
kath |
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October 29, 2013 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: northern new jersey
Posts: 683
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Glenn, is rock dust from slate yards? I pass plenty slate yards where I camp in the summer. Are similar amendments available in garden centers? tia
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john |
November 1, 2013 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 625
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I just called a rock quarry to see if they have rock dust. The guy said that the rock dust turns to mud when it rains and they don't keep it under cover. He said he has "scalpings", which is about the consistency of sand and that "I wouldn't believe what would grow out of it!". He said he uses it on his lawn and he has the healthiest lawn around. $2 a ton but said if I just want a couple of 5 gallon buckets, he will give it to me for free.
Will "scalpings" work as well as dust or are the particles just too big? The rock is Oregon Basalt. what do you think? |
November 4, 2013 | #13 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 252
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Quote:
In the book The Survival of Civilization, John Hamaker suggests finely-ground glacial gravel because that is nature's way throughout millennia to create fertile soils. Glacial gravel, which is a natural mixture of rocks, will create a broad spectrum of minerals in the soil in a natural balance. Compost and gravel dust are a symbiotic combination: the compost provides an excellent medium for the "microorganism population explosion" promoted by the dust, and the gravel dust will not only help create more organic matter, but will also help hold it in place, reduce odors and conserve it. The more finely ground the rock, the more readily microorganisms will have access to the minerals. John Hamaker uses the term "gravel dust" to mean a dust "90% of which will pass through a 200-mesh screen." Sometimes the gravel pits have mesh screens and can measure the exact fineness of the gravel. Though it may be hard to find the ideal fineness - 90% passing through a minus #200-mesh screen - it may be practical to use even if only 20% or so passes through a minus #200-mesh screen and at least 50% passes through a #100-mesh screen. You will have the finer material immediately available to the soil and the rest will break down over time. If most of it passes through a minus #200-mesh screen, it will have a fine consistency like flour or cement. The gravel pit may have machinery to crush the rock finer and may crush it for you." Hope this helps. Glenn |
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July 4, 2014 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 625
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This is an update to my post last year. I used my Gaia Green glacial rock dust on 1 community garden plot. The other one I didn't. Other than that, the dust was the only variable. I spread manure over both of my plots, sprinkled with glacial rock dust and then heavily mulched it with chopped up leaves to prevent week growth.
I planted both plots and there is a obvious difference in the veggies I planted in the plot with Gaia Green. My tomato plants are bigger and more lush, my beets are out of this world gorgeous with big leaves that have absolutely NO sign of any bugs munching on them compared to the other plot, my Swiss chard and Cabbage are also more healthy looking and I haven't had any gray aphids on my cabbage in that plot, which I do in the other one. I am really blown away by what a difference it made and I am now a believer in the glacial rock dust!! I only used about 2 lbs of my glacial rock dust. It is a very fine powder, like talcum powder. This bag should last me for many years! I will report back once I have ripe tomatoes and get a taste of the ones grown with glacial rock dust. |
November 1, 2013 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 67
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I purchased 10 pounds of Micronized azomite from a website Root Naturialy, free shipping. Will be spreading later this winter after the winter crops come out. I also spread some glacial rock dust last spring, but I changed to many other things this spring to really know the results. Using castings, kelp and worm tea.
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