ROCK DUST - again

[PLUMPUDDING]

We keep mentioning using rock dust, but I've not noticed anything on the results - if any.

I've bought a bag this week out of curiosity and would be interested if anyone who has used it has noticed any improvements or not.

[Westi]

As would I PP. My soil is very sandy & even though it's been improved quite a lot I know when it rains significantly it just leeches away the nutrients. It is for this reason I would like some information as the term Dust in the name pretty much means to me it too would just wash down out of the reach of the plant roots so it wouldn't do much good, but I'd happily be converted if there were positive results.

Westi

[Ricard with an H]

I often search the internet for information on rockdust, once again I'm cynical because more effort is made to promote it than efforts made producing clear results that people will understand rather a list of macro nutrients the dust contains and an effort to convince us our soil may be deficient in these nutrients.

Surely you long time gardeners know when something isn't quite right with your plants ? I don't see any of our farmers using rockdust though I must go over to the organic farm to see if they use it.

I'm just as suspicious as when Marshalls started selling chicken poo as re-bagged 'Organic Extra' (With sea weed extract) for twice the price of 6X. They don't say how much sea weed is in it and won't even admit that it's chicken poos they had re-bagged.

Another thing, if all those macro nutrients are so important how come the interest in aquaculture and aquaponics that are emerging ? Kate Humble has a system going right now at her farm, people are traveling from different parts of the world to look at it.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I actually bought some Organic Extra as well as the Rock dust. I got them both from Marshalls. By the way, the 6X costs £10.99 for 15 kg and the Organic Extra is £22.95 for 22kg or £35.90 for two bags (£17.95 each) so I don't think there is much difference in price - it isn't twice as expensive anyway and it is very good stuff.

They are also selling the rock dust with an extra 5kg free.

I've just had a look in the bag of Rock Dust and it isn't anything like I imagined. It is a dark grey colour and feels like gritty soil. I think I will add some to the raised bed that I've grown carrots in this year and use the same variety and see if there is a difference in growth/taste or anything else.

[Ricard with an H]

By the way, the 6X costs £10.99 for 15 kg and the Organic Extra is £22.95 for 22kg or £35.90 for two bags (£17.95 each) so I don't think there is much difference in price - it isn't twice as expensive anyway and it is very good stuff.

It is very good stuff and I apolagise for getting my facts out of proportion, I suppose I got quite cross when I couldn't get them to give me a breakdown on it and in hindsight I didn't buy it from Marshalls anyway.

It'll be good to know how you on with your rockdust tests PP, as an aside last years composted garden waste that made about three barrow-loads had four soft-tubs full of bladderwrack sea-weed rotted into it. I was a bit worried about the salt within the sea-weed though when I tasted it the compost didn't taste salty.

We have masses of sea-weed in the harbour at the Goodwick ferry, also in Fishguard old-town harbour. It's there for the picking though no one else seems to pick it. Will it be ok ?

[PLUMPUDDING]

I envy your ready supply of seaweed Richard we're too far from the coast to collect any. As for the salt content, I read somewhere that it is OK if you hose it down a bit before adding it to the compost heap or garden and don't some plants like a bit of salt anyway?

[Ricard with an H]

I don't know why I didn't hose it down whilst it was in the tubs and I have plenty of space to spread it around then hose it. This year I'll spread it then hose it down.

Another senior moment.

Yes, I felt a pang of guilt with all that sea weed available and easy to get at. In fact it was a fun time for Molly, (Now I'm gagging again) she loved it as I was cutting it because I used to stop her eating the roots though only because I didn't know what the roots had in them. She figured it was play-time so would fetch mouth-fulls of the stuff after tugging at it.

Shame that all over the country we have free sea-weed but the costs of harvesting and transporting are such that it becomes largely unavailable.

[Pa Snip]

I have seen the subject of seaweed collection discussed on other forums in the past

As nonsensical as it might seem, as far as I can make out it seems even with something such as collecting seaweed there exists rules and regulations which differ from place to place around the country, possibly even from neighbouring beach to beach.

I believe some places allow free rein on its collection above the tide line. Others have by-laws which forbid its collection completely. Elsewhere you have to have a licence.

Worth checking with the relevant local council just what the area rules are for the beach you may wish to collect from.

[Ricard with an H]

I believe some places allow free rein on its collection above the tide line. Others have by-laws which forbid its collection completely. Elsewhere you have to have a licence.

I always collect above a recent tide and look for rotting sea weed though I have cut bladderack from harbour stones that was growing so I'll take the nudge that I'll be best to cull rotted sea weed from the last big tide.

[Primrose]

I've on,y collected seaweed once which I dug straight into borders because at that time I only had a very small, garden and no room for a compost heap. I know it's supposed to be wonderful stuff but it took so long to rot down that I've been put off attempting to get another baych when I've had a rare opportunity.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Back to the Rock dust - I applied rock dust and a sprinkle of blood fish and bone to my onion bed and have had the biggest onions I've ever grown. I usually use bfb but have never used rock dust before. They were Stuttgarter onion setts from the Pound shop so have greatly exceeded my expectations. I've not lifted them yet and the tops are just going over so it will be interesting to see how much larger they get. It's funny but I don't usually like very large onions I think the medium sized ones keep better.

[Ricard with an H]

Thats an interesting outcome PP, you'll have to grow the same onions again but without the rockdust though all it'll prove is your soil is in need of whatever is in the rockdust and that may not apply to everyone.

I'm a cynic but I would try rockdust.

Worth checking with the relevant local council just what the area rules are for the beach you may wish to collect from.

Ha-Ha, the rules say no dogs on the beach and the sand above high water is often littered with dog-poo together with the fact that most people ignore the No-Dogs warning and look the other way at poo time.

I think sea weed needs the salt taking out for it to rot easily, salt is a preservative.

[Monika]

Our onions are huge this year, too, but I did use onion fertiliser on all the onion-family bed. In fact, I am going to give the whoppers to the village pub to use because they are far too large for the two of us or even a whole family.

Interesting about the rock dust PP. I have often contemplated using it but never did.

[Ricard with an H]

Monika, could you tell me the make-up of onion fertilizer, I'm guessing that it's high in K.

I've also been cynical about fancy granular fertilizers aimed at us but this years potted flowers are fabulous by using slow release granuals.

I tend to pour smelly comfrey water on the soil around everything and whilst it is a brilliant source of nutrients I have killed a few plants.