Franz Heymann wrote:
:: "Phil L" wrote in message
:: ...
::: Arjen wrote:
::::: There is now a test for sale at eBay to test the level of Active
::::: Organic Matter in your soil. The more active OM - the better;
::::: excellent for organic farmers and growers, or for your
::::: allotment. See:
:::
:::
::: They're not really of any use for gardeners or farmers - they are
::: primarilly used by civile engineers and construction companies to
::: find if any organic matter exists in sand and aggregates prior to
::: using them for concrete etc...organic matter will eventually
::: disintegrate, thus leaving the concrete severely weakened...of
::: little importance for a garden path, but immensely important if
::: your building a motorway bridge or multi-storey office block.
::
:: That is as maybe. What bothers me is what property of "Active
:: Organic Matter" it is which causes it to colour a test liquid.
:: Remember, it must be a property common to *all* "Active Organic
:: Matter", and absent from all other organic matter, or indeed all
:: other matter.
::
It is - it matters not what the organic tissue is, whether it's well rotted
manure or eggshells, only that it is present and will weaken any concrete
made from sand/aggregates - they are useless from a gardeners POV....if you
tested it on a kilo of baked beans it would report a 100% organic matter
reading - try growing some radishes in it.
:-p