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RichardW
Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 8443 Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
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@Calli
Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 1682 Location: Galway
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ninat
Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 606 Location: Scotland
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Jenna
Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 263 Location: Away with the fairies
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Slim
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 6612 Location: New England (In the US of A)
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Posted: Mon Feb 02, 09 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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ninat wrote: |
We're on heavy clay. about 10-12" of topsoil then a hard sandstone layer which is the cusre of every fencer here. Seems to be a selenium and cobalt deficiency as the lambs need regular dosing.
Was thinking about trying this and wondered if people had experience
https://www.seercentre.org.uk/aboutseer.htm |
poked around their website for a bit. Rockdust will certainly provide some very slow release trace elements, which is great for a long term soil management scheme. Not sure why they feel the need to relate their product to questionable geologic/climatologic theories, but undoubtedly, the product can't hurt and will provide trace elements as it weathers (even rock dust is too large to be immediately available - only when it's been weathered into ions in solution)
As for cobalt & selenium deficiency, the amounts you would be receiving from a generic crushed rock product probably aren't that large, and it would likely be worth your while to just buy the appropriate soil amendments. (You could investigate green manures, or animal manures from an area that is naturally high in the elements you lack, but I don't know if what you need exists in the UK, or if it would be worth it to ship all the extra bulk, when you could just buy an amendment) |
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sickpup
Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 164 Location: Amble,Northumberland
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lorna
Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 3
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tahir
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 45672 Location: Essex
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wychwood
Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 36 Location: Northants
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frewen
Joined: 08 Sep 2005 Posts: 11405
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mark
Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 2191 Location: Leeds
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gil Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 18415
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Nick
Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Posts: 34535 Location: Hereford
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gil Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 18415
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Posted: Mon May 18, 09 10:59 am Post subject: |
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Nick wrote: |
And mine! And it's compacted badly, possibly due to it being under water 18 months ago, and having pigs on it for a few months more recently. Mixing it 30/60 with mushroom compost has made it very useable, but I have some massive mushrooms growing where my beans should be... |
The pigs will certainly have compacted the soil structure, and the waterlogging will have created anaerobic conditions that do the soil no good - you may need to do some deep digging.
Have you tried digging an exploratory hole and looking at the soil profile ? Dig down as far as you can [at least 1.5-2 feet], and see what it looks like, and feels and smells like.
If you've got grey/blue/yellowish areas that smell 'off' and not like good fresh soil, they need to be dug over to aerate them so the soil microorganisms can revive and start working again.
The more compost you can make and mix in to give your soil some body and structure, the better.
Also, when soil waterlogs and compacts, it becomes more acid.
May be worth checking the pH with a cheap kit from a DIY place [they work well], and if too acid, think about adding a dressing of lime in the autumn. |
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mark
Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 2191 Location: Leeds
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