GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

24-02-2006, 06:08 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 24 Feb 2006 09:19:12 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article , Rupert wrote:

This topic was discussed sometime ago and the Jury is out.

Actually, I think that it is more accurate to say that it does work,
at least for most of the main rock types found in the UK, but that
isn't actually the question most people are asking. I.e. if you
need to create soil from scratch, yes, a mixture of rock dust and
even nutrient-poor organic matter is very good.

However, so is a mixture of suitable subsoils and nutrient-rich
organic matter, and that is usually much easier to arrange.

But most people want to know if it will work as a fertiliser, and
I don't think that anyone has presented any useful evidence, so the
jury hasn't even been sent out yet!

It would also depend greatly on the type of rock. Limestone or marble
dust, for example would result in an alkaline 'soil', in the same way
as simply adding lime (much 'lime' sold in garden centres is limestone
dust, anyway). A granite dust would be very mildly acidic and might
provide traces of potash. Then there's gabbro, slate etc., a long
list, all different and each contributing it's own suite of trace
elements.

--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net