Alright. All are welcome here. Don't be too sensitive about the word "organic". Nothing is pure organic. There are chemicals and radioactive isotopes in everything. Organic simply means "it once lived". Be kind.
Burn1
Then use synthetics.I don't think many of you guys have investigated the decomposition rates of the organic inputs being suggested here. I agree, it would be cool to use organic inputs that fully breakdown/decompose in 6-10 days...problem is, I am not aware of any; synthetics breakdown fast and organics are supposed to breakdown slower.
I found this chart from OSU very helpful (4th article on this webpage). https://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/calculator/research-background
According to this chart, after 7 days bone meal is only 49% decomposed/broken down and after 28 days only 59%...100% occurs around day 70 or so (according to that study). On a separate track, notice the Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN) levels at 28 days...very interesting that kelp meal is a negative 6% (it consumed more nitrogen than it created).
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Good chart. I have seen references about P and K as well but dont have handy links at the moment. I have a batch of soil thats been mixed since march and in the last month or so I have added about 2-3 cups per CF more of gypsom (thanks to slownickle) and a week before putting it in pots added about another half cup per CF of steamed bone meal. Transplanted seedlings into it a few days ago.I don't think many of you guys have investigated the decomposition rates of the organic inputs being suggested here. I agree, it would be cool to use organic inputs that fully breakdown/decompose in 6-10 days...problem is, I am not aware of any; synthetics breakdown fast and organics are supposed to breakdown slower.
I found this chart from OSU very helpful (4th article on this webpage). https://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/calculator/research-background
According to this chart, after 7 days bone meal is only 49% decomposed/broken down and after 28 days only 59%...100% occurs around day 70 or so (according to that study). On a separate track, notice the Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN) levels at 28 days...very interesting that kelp meal is a negative 6% (it consumed more nitrogen than it created).
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Then use synthetics.
Let's say you mixed kelp at (-6%) with perhaps blood meal at (+66%), I'm not sure that I could assume a rate of (+30%) or not but I think it illustrates my point....
Without getting to far off topic or offending the purists I wonder how many organic purists, no insult ment, use RO water that is wasteful of the raw water needed to purge the minerals and chemicals from tap water? My tap water has a crazy alkalinity level so I use a whole house RO filter that feeds my freezer for ice and a tap at the kitchen sink. I jug it up for all my house plants including the crop. The taste difference is obvious.No reason to be snitty because we take different paths to the same destination.
But now you are thinking about a concept I have studied for more years than I want to count, lol...what is the Plant Available of a particular nutrient/mineral/input?
And then there are those peculiarities/benefits of certain "meals". Example, excellent source for amino acids is Soybean Meal and nothing beats Linseed Meal for a source for lignin and phenolic compounds that act as chelators. Of course I can go on and on, but since I use a teensy weensy bit of MPK....who cares? Right?....lol.
I wouldn't quite put it that way, but that's kind of the gist of it.No reason to be snitty because we take different paths to the same destination.
But now you are thinking about a concept I have studied for more years than I want to count, lol...what is the Plant Available of a particular nutrient/mineral/input?
And then there are those peculiarities/benefits of certain "meals". Example, excellent source for amino acids is Soybean Meal and nothing beats Linseed Meal for a source for lignin and phenolic compounds that act as chelators. Of course I can go on and on, but since I use a teensy weensy bit of MPK....who cares? Right?....lol.
I wouldn't quite put it that way, but that's kind of the gist of it.
I'm not a purist. I try to use natural and organic methods, but I make no claims. I can't claim that everything that I use for compost or meals come from organic sources. Sustainability takes the front seat to organics in my opinion.
I just don't have a need for that stuff. I once thought I did...