Soils with very high Manganese (Mn) levels

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Steve Burgess, Apr 10, 2014.

  1. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Steve can you work with Graeme Sait to improve your soil quality? I gather his services aren't cheap, but I have heard him speak a few times and it seems there is nothing that he doesn't know about soil.
     
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  2. Steve Burgess

    Steve Burgess Junior Member

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    I buy guano and occasional other inputs from him, and one of his past agronomists worked here for a while on a reveg project, during which we discussed the issues at length while planting trees together.
     
  3. Terra

    Terra Moderator

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    Steve if you can work out the complexities of growing Lupins you will be able to retire , they can be frustrating to say the least .

    One more thought might be worth a trial , in the greening the desert , Geoff noted the fungus appeared to tie up the salt , maybe some sawdust or chipped timber in the mix might help quieten the manganese by getting more diverse fungus bacteria mix .

    I use a lot of Canola stubble and it had lots of stick bits as well as seed pod shells and leaves (while we have no GM of course hope that doesn't change No derailing thread) . I have rock gravel soil and use the chook dome system , I dug 20kg of potatoes with just my fingers two days ago , lovely loose soil , im sure the sticks and sawdust I chuck on has helped here .
     
  4. S.O.P

    S.O.P Moderator

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    7 words for me. Ouch.

    I'm feeling a little left out.

    Back to the drawing board.
     
  5. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

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  6. matto

    matto Junior Member

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    If raising the pH is the consensus, there are other ways additional to liming with calcium.
    Subsoiling and aeration can have a small liming effect.

    Basalt/rockdusts might help raise the pH, and be a base sourse of C, Mg and phosphorus.

    An increase in soil microbial life will also raise pH. Biota Booster, compost teas, fulvic/humic acids molasses will help feed the soil life.

    Biochar would be a good amendment, and can be a home along with the rock dusts for soil life.

    Probably doing what your doing in your home garden, but on a bigger scale ;)
     
  7. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    This could be a great opportunity for Steve and Permasculptor to team up and do some on site research on Biota Booster….. Just saying….
     
  8. Steve Burgess

    Steve Burgess Junior Member

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    Started spading in the ground cover on the weekend and started working up beds today. After listening to everyone's advice I didn't opt for anything too outrageous in the end. The cover crop/weeds came up looking healthy after the rain, legumes had nodulated. Having the grazing animals fenced out ready to put the patch back into gardens gave a good chance to look at what was growing there and how it responded to the rain.

    In the end - a bit of dolomite to keep pH and Ca and Mg levels where I like them ( 2-3 t/ha). A fair whack of guano to help with low P levels and add some more Ca and trace elements (1 t/ha). An almost homeopathic splash of boron (2kg/ha) and a light starter dressing of chook poo pellets (3t/ha) and blood and bone (750kg/ha). The soil worked up nicely with good structure. Organic matter levels are OK, and seem to be improving with time. Found some good clean mulch hay grown fairly close by on a different soil without high Mn levels. The irrigated part of the garden will be earning its keep with market veggies and I am experimenting with some non irrigated chickpeas and lupins in another part of the paddock as a recreational exercise to see what happens. It should at least grow some green manure for the next lot of veggie beds.

    We'll see how it all goes this year and I will try to get my observation skills trained for looking for early plant symptoms of trace metal imbalances that may be triggered by the high Mn levels (eg Copper, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium). If needed, I will address these with foliar teas/sprays
     
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