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- - Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? (http://goldismoney.info/forums/showthread.php?t=282218)

scholarcoon | 07-12-2008 09:45 PM
Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Has anyone tried remineralizing their garden? Rock dust is exactly what it sounds like. A theory put forth by John Hamaker states that glaciers periodically deposit essential minerals into the soil that are essential for plant growth. Thousands of years of natural vegetation and especially human agriculture have robbed the soil of these minerals. Thus remineralizing the soil returns it to its pristine state. http://remineralize.org/joomla/ http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0321-02.htm Thing is, rock dust is so cheap that there's no reason not to try it. You can get it at a local quarry or order it online. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...55C0A9629C8B63 Quote:
FOR years I had been hearing about the virtues of gardening with rock powders. Two summers ago I gave in, acquiring some finely ground granite from a company that engraves tombstones. I scratched the stuff in around my peppers. Although it was August, the plants were small and appeared to be sulking. By mid-September I needed stakes to keep them from tipping over from the weight of the fruit -- a first in my 20 years of growing peppers in chilly New Hampshire.
Not only is it cheap, organic, and better than traditional fertilizer, but apparently it is the solution to global warming too. :D Anyone have any firsthand experience with remineralizing?

Merlin | 07-12-2008 10:11 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Short answer... Yes I have tried it. Did it improve my yields? I have no idea -- no control group. But it doesn't contain nitrogen. And just how is it the solution to global warming?

RaccoonRiverRadical | 07-12-2008 10:12 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? I bought some not too long ago for my worm bin experiment but haven't tried it in a garden.

scholarcoon | 07-12-2008 10:53 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by Merlin (Post 1189656) Short answer... Yes I have tried it. Did it improve my yields? I have no idea -- no control group. But it doesn't contain nitrogen. And just how is it the solution to global warming?
http://www.esmhome.org/library/agric...vilization.pdf I haven't read this pdf yet, but the summary I read stated that remineralization grows lush, green plant life that can absorb more co2. I think this would have to be done on a huge scale to have any effect on climate. Quote:
Originally Posted by RaccoonRiverRadical (Post 1189658) I bought some not too long ago for my worm bin experiment but haven't tried it in a garden.
Where did you get it from? How did your worms do?

Merlin | 07-13-2008 08:05 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by scholarcoon (Post 1189717) Where did you get it from? How did your worms do?
From the side of the bag: Peak Minerals-Azomite, Inc. P.O. Box 6588 Branson, MO 65615 (877) AZO-MITE (877) 296-6483 For more information: http://www.azomite.com

RaccoonRiverRadical | 07-13-2008 08:08 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by scholarcoon (Post 1189717) Where did you get it from? How did your worms do?
The rock dust came from http://www.fertilizeronline.com/rockdust.php. My worm experiment failed as a kitchen project. I;ll try again when I have an outside area.

scholarcoon | 07-13-2008 08:11 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Thanks Merlin and Raccoon. I might try the Azomite since it's I live in Missouri. Hopefully the shipping will be cheaper.

Merlin | 07-13-2008 08:17 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by scholarcoon (Post 1190912) Thanks Merlin and Raccoon. Hopefully the shipping will be cheaper.
Hopefully. Bags of rock dust aren't light. :D

RaccoonRiverRadical | 07-13-2008 08:20 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by Merlin (Post 1190920) Hopefully. Bags of rock dust aren't light. :D
If I was doing it for plants I might look for a cheap local source, like a rock quarry maybe.

Merlin | 07-13-2008 09:17 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by RaccoonRiverRadical (Post 1190925) If I was doing it for plants I might look for a cheap local source, like a rock quarry maybe.
Fortunately, it doesn't take that much. Azomite application recommendations show 200 pounds per acre applied annually. In the garden, they suggest one pound for ten square feet. In my square-foot-garden scenario, I usually toss 1 tablespoon on each square foot every year and call that good enough. Between the Azomite and the compost, I've managed to avoid using commercial fertilizers for about 4 years now. My garden problems have more to do with limited sunlight than anything else. Next door neighbor planted a tree next to my backyard fence, which he claimed he was going to transplant to the parkway. Instead, I hit his head on the pavement (Parkinsons) and died. Now the damned tree is 40 feet tall and has half my garden totally shaded by 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Everytime I try to bring up the subject of the tree with his widow, she tells me "how much he loved that tree."

Mill Man | 07-13-2008 11:24 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by Merlin (Post 1191022) "Instead, I hit his head on the pavement (Parkinsons) and died."
Maybe you shouldn't have hit his head on the pavement?

RealJack | 07-13-2008 11:33 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by Mill Man (Post 1191204) Maybe you shouldn't have hit his head on the pavement?
Parkinsons can be annoying...:yes:

teedub31 | 07-14-2008 01:25 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? I have never used rock dust, but I am using coal dust at my wastewater plants to help bulk my biosolids cake for reuse. I do know that many farmers are complaining about low sulfur content in their grounds in my state. They were getting all the free sulfur they wanted years ago via acid rain. However, with the advent of cleaner coal technology, most of the "free sulfur" they were getting is now being captured in the ash beds and scrubbers of coal fired plants. I am using fly ash (coal ash residule) to supplement the cake solids. The resulting blend is about 2:2:2 with a nice sulfur and boron content as well as about 20% Ca. It has worked well in my flower beds and on the fields the local farmer uses it on. Heavy metals are minute (below detection in most cases). We give the farmer all we produce as long as he picks it up. He applies about 3 ton to the acre and is getting about 70lbs N per acre to offset his commercial bill. We produce about 1000 tons per year. The raw cake would go to a local landfill otherwise. Farmer is happy and the local sewer users are not paying extra to have the poo ultimately end up in a landfill.

Merlin | 07-15-2008 03:31 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? Quote:
Originally Posted by Mill Man (Post 1191204) Maybe you shouldn't have hit his head on the pavement?
Obviously, should have read "he" hit his head on the pavement. He fell. My bad.

mick silver | 07-15-2008 03:50 PM
Re: Rock Dust & Remineralization: Better than Fertilizer? that what lime is , right

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