Making Volcanic Soil?

[Frosy]

OK, I'm convinced that a volcanic soil can be a great growing medium for my lovely green ladies. But as I am far, far away from tropical volcanic richness, how can I best simulate the volcanic soil in my home garden? Is it possible to just mix some up from garden supply ingredients? Or at least a good second best? Help me get dirty, thanks!

 

[Rusty420]

cool idea!

 

[jaykush]

whats wrong with the dark humus rich soil of temperate climates? assuming since you said far from tropical.

check this thread out
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=153542

 

[Microbeman]

Good advice Jay. If you wish to add some rock powder minerals on the cheap, find a source of bentonite clay. Just check that it is analyzed to be low in heavy metals. You can also experiment with rock powders from creek beds or dried creek beds. I often used the black magnetic sand deposited along a creek path. Just take a fairly strong magnet with you and you can collect it like that.

Only use very small amounts in your soil.

 

[Scrappy4]

Isn't azomite from vocanic sources?

 

[Microbeman]

Volcanic ash deposit Utah(?)

 

[jaykush]

yes ^

 

[City Twin]

Isn't azomite from vocanic sources?

Bit more than that. The layer that Azo comes from was supposedly formed when volcanic ash covered and smothered a shallow inland sea/lake. Would contain the volcanic ash and whatever the living water source had to offer in bio-available minerals from plant and animal life within. It’s quite a wide source of macro and micro minerals.

 

[canniption]

Bit more than that. The layer that Azo comes from was supposedly formed when volcanic ash covered and smothered a shallow inland sea/lake. Would contain the volcanic ash and whatever the living water source had to offer in bio-available minerals from plant and animal life within. It’s quite a wide source of macro and micro minerals.

correct and it also contains bentonite as a anti-caking agent.you could also get paramagnetic sand.

 

[elmanito]

Rock powders > 200 mesh (as fine as flour) like lava, basalt, granite or glacial are the ones which you need for your soil.Instead of bentonite you also can use loess, if you can get it.

This site is all about it http://remineralize.org/mineral-products/mineral-products

Topic about rock dust https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=221769

[YOUTUBEIF]Za8chf4nkC4[/YOUTUBEIF]

Another source which you can use is gypsum (1/2 oz p 2 gallons of soil), but contains CaSO4 and not the trace elements which you can find in rock dust.

Namaste

 

[oldhaole]

Give me an address....I'll send you some.

 

[Frosy]

Thanks to all these rock dust people- they must be some real stoners haha, but seriously, even after years of growing with good result, i think that with some of this rock dust trace elements i could take my growing to the next level. I have looked at lot's of threads about soil mixing, but would anyone care to comment on my mix and tell me what to add? I'll start with pro-mix (good biobugs, peat, but no nutrient). So I will add earthworm castings for N, then some Azomoite, which is available here. But what next? I want to make 'supersoil', but not too 'hot'... thanks!

 

[Frosy]

Jaykush, I think the dark humus is good, but i have seen that some varieties of plants really LOVE the volcanic soils....

 

[jaykush]

but would anyone care to comment on my mix and tell me what to add? I'll start with pro-mix (good biobugs, peat, but no nutrient)

my tip would be loose the promix. base the soil on lavarock, compost, and good local soil( see sticky thread)

 

[Frosy]

Hi Jaykush, I tried using my local soil and got hella mite invasions (from eggs in the soil?), so I was gonna try to set up a living soil from components, and keep it going from grow to grow. Is the lava rock different than the Azomite?

 

[Donald Mallard]

heres an interesting clip for you frosy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfbs_iNE_9Q

 

[Frosy]

Thanks Don! Great stuff, I'm going to start sourcing some local rock powders today!

 

[xmobotx]

i like the idea of using volcanic amendments pumice seems like a valid replacement for perlite (also volcanic though) crushed lava rock seems like a good habitat for the micro herd

would still focus on diversity -volcanic just opens another door towards that diversity

 

[River-Running]

xmobotx

The local landscape supply companies around here offer lava rock for $2.00 for a paint bucket - you bring the bucket, fill it and pay for it.

Works out to be about $3.00 per c.f. more or less.

RR

 

[Montana]

www.soilminerals.com