Soil Amendment Test Plots Completed

We have been hearing alot about rock dust. We want to know if we should put some into one of our soil mixes. So we went to the experts.

Soil amendments are an interesting group of products. There are amendments that add microorganisms, micronutrients, help change the structure, improve drainage, improve water holding, improve fertilizer retention.... you name it and there are products that claim to make soil better. Now there are rock dusts!

Recently there has been interest in some naturally forming amendments from crushed and screened rock. Zeolites have probably been around the longest. Zeolites is a collective term for a bunch of different minerals that have very small pores that can hold water. These pores make many of them fairly light in weight. The pores also help them retain water. Many are used for things like kitty litter and oil spills. More on zeolites

Another amendment has the trade name of Azomite. We always have to be careful with claims made on a label unless it is subjected to some regulatory agency. For instance, fertilizers have to adhere to state fertilizer laws. What is claimed as fertilizer must actually be contained in the bag. Agencies like Weights and Measures checks to make sure fertilizers are registered in the state and periodically they are checked to make sure you get what they claim on the bag. This is not true of soil amendments.

A third one we found recently is an interesting product called Kelzyme. The manufacturers claim it to be "mineralized sea kelp". It is mined from an open pit mine in Nevada near Winnemucca. It also has a lot of minerals in it with quite a few claims made from the manufacturer.

So what do you believe? Are they going to work? Before Viragrow gets involved we are watching a test plot using these three products very closely. The plot was constructed at the UNCE orchard in North Las Vegas in March of 2014. Two inches of compost was applied to the plots and tilled in. 1 1/2 pound of phosphorus was applied to the growing site as a pre-plant.

 

Next the plots were constructed and replicated in raised beds on both sides of the plot. All three products were applied to separate plots at a rate equivalent to the rate suggested on the Azomite bag and incorporated into the soil. Drip irrigation will be put back on the plots for vegetables. Vegetables and herbs will be planted as transplants and the products will be added to the transplant soil and all of it watered in. After that all vegetables will be drip irrigated through the remainder of the study.

Let's see what happens! Viragrow is always looking for a good soil amendment for its specialty composts. If it works, we will use it! Viragrow Delivers!