Comments on: Balancing Soil Minerals. http://sustainablesmallholding.org/balancing-soil-minerals/ Permaculture, and Sustainable practices on a Lincolnshire Smallholding Thu, 08 May 2014 07:18:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.1 By: Deano Martin http://sustainablesmallholding.org/balancing-soil-minerals/#comment-21920 Sun, 08 Dec 2013 17:54:40 +0000 http://sustainablesmallholding.org/?p=3895#comment-21920 The postage was really small, less than £10 for two soil samples, both of which could have been smaller to save costs.

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By: Deano Martin http://sustainablesmallholding.org/balancing-soil-minerals/#comment-21919 Sun, 08 Dec 2013 17:52:50 +0000 http://sustainablesmallholding.org/?p=3895#comment-21919 Thanks for the comment Stu
I’m not sure of the difference in the soil testing chemicals, but I liked the approach of the Intelligent Gardener, and decided to choose a lab using the Mehlich method so that i could use all of the worksheets etc.

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By: guy http://sustainablesmallholding.org/balancing-soil-minerals/#comment-21884 Wed, 04 Dec 2013 13:40:01 +0000 http://sustainablesmallholding.org/?p=3895#comment-21884 Hi Deano
Sorry i just posted a comment to another post of yours asking if you had found a UK lab to do the Mehlich tests… and then i found this blog post. It looks like i’ll have to work out which is best value taking into account postage costs. I remember reading about Logan Labs in the book itself but naturally enough wanted to find a UK lab that uses the same test. You’ve also prompted me to check up on rainfall levels where i am (outskirts of Bath). Cheers

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By: stu http://sustainablesmallholding.org/balancing-soil-minerals/#comment-21878 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 11:59:55 +0000 http://sustainablesmallholding.org/?p=3895#comment-21878 Have come across your blog surfing the soil mineral balancing angle.. really like the way you think and the approach you are taking.. I wondered a bit about the Melich lll testing chemicals and how that differs from using Lamotte weak acid testing reagents..
The manganese thing is something I’m just learning a bit more about myself. If you surf the mad cow issue, manganese is going to show up there too. It’s needed in small amounts and in a ratio to Iron, and copper is involved. It all gets complex!!
Dr Andersen said the iron should be around 40pound and acre. The question becomes the best way to balance things when high.
Don Huber say the glyphosate can mess up biology needed to make iron available.. Loius Kevran in his Biological transmutation work say the manganese and iron can transmute back and forth through bacterial action but Ph and conditions are different for the direction of transmutation. This angle of mineral balancing deserves consideration.
In corespondance with a USDA microbiologist,, I’ve learned that compost bacteria are distinctly different from those found in the root zone of plants. if farm chems or weather conditions eradicate beneficial soil and root zone microbiology,, that may need to to be looked at and start working with innoculants.
Biology and chemistry! we need to be scientist with labs to grow good food.. If nothing else,, the bug and refractometers readings can help a bit..
Keep up the good works. stu

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By: Chromatography, Soil fertility, and Biodynamic Agriculture - The Sustainable Smallholding http://sustainablesmallholding.org/balancing-soil-minerals/#comment-11823 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 21:16:16 +0000 http://sustainablesmallholding.org/?p=3895#comment-11823 […] sort of looks in more detail at the ‘organic matter’ line of the soil test Shown in my Balancing Soil Minerals post, but without the need for a microscope, laboratory, or other expensive […]

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