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Fremont, California

do they have phosphorus??? my compost really needs phosphorus. all the stuff ive been putting in has very high potassium and pretty high nitrogen.ohh and do i put bone/blood meal , and chem fertilizers or do i try as hard as possible to go 'organic'


-dashbarr

10/25/2004 10:48:36 PM

[email protected]

Phosphorus is the least soluble element we need. And it's also one that is not really worth "going organic" with. This because even the synthetic forms of P are too slow to be very useful if you're dealing with a real deficiency situation.

Bone Meal might take 300 years to correct a deficiency. There is no harm in using Bone Meal accept those situations where it is surface applied & not fully incorporated. In these cases, low soluble Phosphorus sources can runoff the treated soil laterally with heavy rains. This has led to Phosphate fertilizer bans in some areas. Ironically, organic sources of P are the worst offenders in this area of concern. All because they are TOO slow to bind with soil.

The most soluble source of P today is Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) which is only rarely sold by itself (but can be) & is instead most often purchased in a high P blend like 5-10-5, 10-20-10, 10-20-20, 18-24-12, 13-26-6, etc.

DAP is still slow & could take up to 50 years to fully metabolize with soil. But it is the best we can get.

If DAP is applied as directed, there is no negative impact associated with it's use.

10/25/2004 11:04:16 PM

[email protected]

Neither Apples or Oranges look like significant dietary sources of Phosphorus. But I'd compost them into the patch anyway. Oranges particulary are strong potassium contributors.

10/25/2004 11:15:19 PM

Fremont, California

what r pumpkins high in??

10/25/2004 11:55:59 PM

Sequim, WA

Invalidate comparisons to other nutrients in compost?

10/26/2004 12:54:39 AM