Mac
Wood
Ash
Nitrogen - Crimson Clover
http://www.aaes.auburn.edu/comm/pubs/bulletins/bull335.pdf
Gee
Whiz: Human Urine Is Shown to Be an Effective Agricultural
Fertilizer: Scientific American
Wood Ash - Phosphate (P), Potash (K), Soil pH
Because wood ash is derived from plant material, it contains most of the 13 essential nutrients the soil supplies for plant growth, according to Dan Sullivan, OSU Extension soil scientist.
"When wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gas," Sullivan said, "but calcium, potassium, magnesium and other trace elements remain. The carbonates and oxides in the ash are valuable liming agents that can raise pH and help neutralize acid soils."
The fertilizer value of wood ash depends on the type of wood. According to Sullivan, hardwoods produce about three times the ash and five times the nutrients per cord as softwoods. A cord of oak provides enough potassium for a garden 60 by 70 feet. A cord of Douglas fir ash supplies enough potassium for a garden 30 by 30 feet.
Both types of wood ash will reduce soil acidity slightly. Where soils are acid and low in potassium, wood ash is beneficial to most garden plants. Do not use ash if your soil pH is alkaline (more than 7.0).
Do not apply wood ash to acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas; nor to areas where potatoes will be planted; wood ash can promote potato scab.
Lawns that need lime and potassium also can benefit from wood ash. Apply no more than 10 to 15 pounds of ash per 1,000 square feet of lawn.
Wood ash also will add nutrients to compost. Mix it into your compost pile as you build the pile.
"Remember that wood ash is alkaline, which means it has a high pH level," Sullivan said. "You should use the same precautions with it as when handling other strongly alkaline materials, such as household bleach."
Among Sullivan’s suggestions:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1022
Granite Dust (Silt) - Potash (K)
Granite dust is often sold as a "slowly available" potash source for organic production. Total potash contents in granite dust typically vary from 1 to 5%, depending on overall mineral composition of the rock, but granite is mostly feldspar, a mineral with low solubility. Therefore, little potash fertility is derived from this material."
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=284
The MSDS sheet for granite from Martin Marietta in Raleigh, NC lists granite as containing 4-5% K2O.
http://www.martinmarietta.com/products/MSDS-Granite.pdf
Bone Meal - Phosphate (P)
Bone meal is so well known, especially in horticulture, that it can hardly be considered an alternative product. Typically it contains about 27% total phosphate, and nearly all of that is available. There is a great deal of confusion about the phosphate content of bone meal because much of it is sold as a feed additive. In the feed industry, phosphorus is expressed on the label as elemental phosphorus, while in the fertilizer industry it is expressed as phosphate. Phosphate gives a much bigger number (2.3 times as big) for the same actual phosphorus content. Twelve percent phosphorus is the same as 27% phosphate, and bone meal is sold under either of those (or similar) numbers; it’s the same good, but expensive, product in either case.
Organic Fertilizers
What are the nutrient values of organic fertilizers?
"Cover crops generally release their nutrients slowly, over a period of two to six months, said Penhallegon. Nutrient values for cover crops include: alfalfa (2.5 -0.5 - 2), crimson clover (2-0.2-2), Australian winter peas (3-0-1), annual rye (1-0-1). "
"Burned eggshells (0-.5-.3), fish emulsion (5-1-1) and urea (urine) (46-0-0) are the fastest-acting organic fertilizers, lasting only a couple of weeks."
"To boost the nitrogen content of your soils, apply nitrogen rich urea (42-46 percent N), feathers (15 percent N), blood meal (12.5 percent N), bat guano (12.3 percent N) or dried blood (12 percent N). Manures are usually less expensive than other animal by-products."
"Organic amendments highest in phosphorus include rock phosphate (20-33 percent P), bone meal (15-27 percent P) and colloidal phosphate (17-25 percent P). High in potassium are kelp (4-13 percent K), wood ash (3-7 percent K), granite meal (3-6 percent K) and greensand (5 percent K)."
"To make soil less acidic, gardeners want materials rich in calcium, including clam shells, ground shell marl, oyster shells, wood ashes dolomite and gypsum (all are at least 30 percent calcium carbonate or straight calcium)."
What are the nutrient values of organic fertilizers? | Oregon State University Extension Service | Gardening
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/577
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=human-urine-is-an-effective-fertilizer
Can Human Urine Replace Chemical Fertilizers? http://modernfarmer.com/2014/01/human-pee-proven-fertilizer-future/
Can Human Urine Replace Chemical Fertilizers? http://modernfarmer.com/2014/01/human-pee-proven-fertilizer-future/
Wood Ash - Phosphate (P), Potash (K), Soil pH
CORVALLIS, Ore. – As we move into the season of burning wood, consider saving the ashes for the lawn and garden, while remembering a few precautions.
Because wood ash is derived from plant material, it contains most of the 13 essential nutrients the soil supplies for plant growth, according to Dan Sullivan, OSU Extension soil scientist.
"When wood burns, nitrogen and sulfur are lost as gas," Sullivan said, "but calcium, potassium, magnesium and other trace elements remain. The carbonates and oxides in the ash are valuable liming agents that can raise pH and help neutralize acid soils."
The fertilizer value of wood ash depends on the type of wood. According to Sullivan, hardwoods produce about three times the ash and five times the nutrients per cord as softwoods. A cord of oak provides enough potassium for a garden 60 by 70 feet. A cord of Douglas fir ash supplies enough potassium for a garden 30 by 30 feet.
Both types of wood ash will reduce soil acidity slightly. Where soils are acid and low in potassium, wood ash is beneficial to most garden plants. Do not use ash if your soil pH is alkaline (more than 7.0).
Do not apply wood ash to acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas; nor to areas where potatoes will be planted; wood ash can promote potato scab.
Lawns that need lime and potassium also can benefit from wood ash. Apply no more than 10 to 15 pounds of ash per 1,000 square feet of lawn.
Wood ash also will add nutrients to compost. Mix it into your compost pile as you build the pile.
"Remember that wood ash is alkaline, which means it has a high pH level," Sullivan said. "You should use the same precautions with it as when handling other strongly alkaline materials, such as household bleach."
Among Sullivan’s suggestions:
- Wear eye protection, gloves and a dust mask.
- Do not scatter ashes in the wind. Apply recommended amounts to moist soil and rake lightly to mix.
- Do not use ash from burning trash, cardboard, coal or pressure-treated, painted or stained wood. These materials can contain potentially harmful substances. For example, the glue in cardboard boxes and paper bags contains boron, an element that can inhibit plant growth at excessive levels.
- Never leave wood ash in lumps or piles. If it is concentrated in one place, excessive salt from the ash can leach into the soil and create a harmful environment for plants.
- Do not apply ash at time of seeding. Ash contains too many salts for seedlings.
Wood ashes can benefit gardens and lawns | Oregon State University Extension Service | Gardening
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/1022
Granite Dust (Silt) - Potash (K)
Granite dust is often sold as a "slowly available" potash source for organic production. Total potash contents in granite dust typically vary from 1 to 5%, depending on overall mineral composition of the rock, but granite is mostly feldspar, a mineral with low solubility. Therefore, little potash fertility is derived from this material."
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=284
The MSDS sheet for granite from Martin Marietta in Raleigh, NC lists granite as containing 4-5% K2O.
http://www.martinmarietta.com/products/MSDS-Granite.pdf
Bone Meal - Phosphate (P)
Bone meal is so well known, especially in horticulture, that it can hardly be considered an alternative product. Typically it contains about 27% total phosphate, and nearly all of that is available. There is a great deal of confusion about the phosphate content of bone meal because much of it is sold as a feed additive. In the feed industry, phosphorus is expressed on the label as elemental phosphorus, while in the fertilizer industry it is expressed as phosphate. Phosphate gives a much bigger number (2.3 times as big) for the same actual phosphorus content. Twelve percent phosphorus is the same as 27% phosphate, and bone meal is sold under either of those (or similar) numbers; it’s the same good, but expensive, product in either case.
Organic Fertilizers
What are the nutrient values of organic fertilizers?
"Cover crops generally release their nutrients slowly, over a period of two to six months, said Penhallegon. Nutrient values for cover crops include: alfalfa (2.5 -0.5 - 2), crimson clover (2-0.2-2), Australian winter peas (3-0-1), annual rye (1-0-1). "
"Burned eggshells (0-.5-.3), fish emulsion (5-1-1) and urea (urine) (46-0-0) are the fastest-acting organic fertilizers, lasting only a couple of weeks."
"To boost the nitrogen content of your soils, apply nitrogen rich urea (42-46 percent N), feathers (15 percent N), blood meal (12.5 percent N), bat guano (12.3 percent N) or dried blood (12 percent N). Manures are usually less expensive than other animal by-products."
"Organic amendments highest in phosphorus include rock phosphate (20-33 percent P), bone meal (15-27 percent P) and colloidal phosphate (17-25 percent P). High in potassium are kelp (4-13 percent K), wood ash (3-7 percent K), granite meal (3-6 percent K) and greensand (5 percent K)."
"To make soil less acidic, gardeners want materials rich in calcium, including clam shells, ground shell marl, oyster shells, wood ashes dolomite and gypsum (all are at least 30 percent calcium carbonate or straight calcium)."
What are the nutrient values of organic fertilizers? | Oregon State University Extension Service | Gardening
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/node/577
