jumpincactus said:

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

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jumpincactus said:

I 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

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jumpincactus said:

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?

Click to expand...

jumpincactus said:

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

Click to expand...

Homesteader said:

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

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Patanjali said:

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?

Peace,

P-

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jumpincactus said:

I would also like so more input on your question as well.:D

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