jumpincactus
Premium Member
Supporter
- 11,609
- 438
you could go to your local concrete company and get the red iron ore clay,hell if you only need a little they will probally give you 5 gal bucket full,i love this clay for my outdoor garden,watermelons ,canaloupe,honey dew melons they all love it,have you done a test to see if you need any,i use the quart jar to get mineIn an effort to increase my CEC (cation exchange capacity) in my living soil I wanted to ask what other farmers are using as a clay amendment? It is common knowledge thru various studies that clay in some forms have an excellent CEC rating over many other soil components. Here is a chart of varous CEC ratings for various soil constituents . As you will note clay is very beneficial in CEC
Table 1. Normal Range of CEC Values for Common Color/Texture Soil Groups.
CEC in
Soil groups Examples meg/100g
-----------------------------------------------
Light colored sands Plainfield 3-5
Bloomfield
Dark colored sands Maumee 10-20
Gilford
Light colored loams and Clermont-Miami 10-20
silt loams Miami
Dark colored loams and Sidell 15-25
silt loams Gennesee
Dark colored silty clay Pewamo 30-40
loams and silty clays Hoytville
Organic soils Carlisle muck 50-100
My question is do any of you guys amend your living soil with clay and if so what kind and where do you source it from?
I also am aware that you have to tread lightly with clays as using too much can cause compaction issues around the rhizosphere which in counter productive. If you use clay, assisting me with mix ratio's will be appreciated
Is there a horticultural grade clay that can be used to improve my CEC. I'm hoping maybe @SeaF0ur or others growing organically will chime in. Peace
you bet friendI appreciate your reply. I have a local company close by as a matter of fact. However I am a little concerned with the Fe content and how high it may be. I will have to do some more homework. I'm not in a hurry was considering using some clay in my next run/batch of ROLS
My native 'soil' which is a VERY heavy clay. Bereft of Ca. Because it is so heavy I only use very small amounts when making something like potting soil. For my beds I don't bother, I let the plants' roots reach the clay level. In AP I don't worry about it, I work the water like I work the water, which works well.In an effort to increase my CEC (cation exchange capacity) in my living soil I wanted to ask what other farmers are using as a clay amendment?
Pottery store - calcium bentonite. With that said, imo humus has plenty of CEC. Ditch the perlite for pumice or scoria and you will increase CEC even more. I have added a little native soil to mixes, but I don't find it necessary.In an effort to increase my CEC (cation exchange capacity) in my living soil I wanted to ask what other farmers are using as a clay amendment? It is common knowledge thru various studies that clay in some forms have an excellent CEC rating over many other soil components. Here is a chart of varous CEC ratings for various soil constituents . As you will note clay is very beneficial in CEC
Table 1. Normal Range of CEC Values for Common Color/Texture Soil Groups.
CEC in
Soil groups Examples meg/100g
-----------------------------------------------
Light colored sands Plainfield 3-5
Bloomfield
Dark colored sands Maumee 10-20
Gilford
Light colored loams and Clermont-Miami 10-20
silt loams Miami
Dark colored loams and Sidell 15-25
silt loams Gennesee
Dark colored silty clay Pewamo 30-40
loams and silty clays Hoytville
Organic soils Carlisle muck 50-100
My question is do any of you guys amend your living soil with clay and if so what kind and where do you source it from?
I also am aware that you have to tread lightly with clays as using too much can cause compaction issues around the rhizosphere which in counter productive. If you use clay, assisting me with mix ratio's will be appreciated
Is there a horticultural grade clay that can be used to improve my CEC. I'm hoping maybe SeaF0ur or others growing organically will chime in. Peace
To each their own, but I try and keep the aluminosilicates out of the soil as much as possible. I'm also curious if anyone has any reservation about using aluminosilicates and fulvic acid in the soil?I only just learned about zeolites but they are really fascinating.
From Fedco:
Zeolites These aluminosilicate lattices, derived from volcanic ash, hold up to 55% of their weight in water in the small cavities of their crystal structure. Negatively charged, the lattices hold the cations of essential elements. Zeolites can improve the productivity of any texture of soil, improving water and mineral retention in sandy soils and improving aeration and minimizing compaction in heavier soils. Add 2–3# for each 10# of potting soil. In gardens add 15–20#/100 sq ft to the top 6" before planting. Spread 1–2-1/2 tons/acre. Added to compost, zeolites retain ammonium ions and prevent their transformation to ammonia gases, keeping the nitrogen from escaping into the air. Water thoroughly after application so the zeolites will absorb the moisture, holding it in a thin film on their surfaces until needed. OMRI
I would also like so more input on your question as well.:DTo each their own, but I try and keep the aluminosilicates out of the soil as much as possible. I'm also curious if anyone has any reservation about using aluminosilicates and fulvic acid in the soil?
Peace,
P-
I'm wondering what the possibility is of Fulvic acid chelating the aluminum? I don't know the specifics of how chelation works, so I'm real curious if anyone has any input?I would also like so more input on your question as well.:D
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?