there are alot of ashes in the soil from years of burning oak leaves...close to 25 years of burning and piling! worms are active in this soil so ive used it as my "ewc" if you will,with 2-3 tbsp per gallons of composted chicken manure per gal and the amendments listed by LD. should i be concerned about the high ash content in this mix ie. high k levels,drainage??? also,i added 4-5 cups of azomite per ft3 and later found comments that was the amount recommended for glacial rock dust and not azomite!
Glacial rock dust = Azomite = glacial rock dust = Azomite. Basically the same thing. Maybe a slightly different elemental makeup, but as far as the amounts for a soil recipe, you're fine. Btw, if those ashes are pretty old, and theres alot of worm activity I wouldnt sweat that either. Worms in soil are to me basically like a caged pigeon in a coal mine. If the worms like it, then its gotta be just fine. jerry.
thanks Jerry! worms are present in this soil...just not as many as in the remaining leaves i piled and have begun composting. the area i'm getting the soil from hasn't been disturbed or burned over in years. ill have excellent leaf mold by spring! what a find! i have a flow-thru worm bin up and going so there will be less chicken manure(good stuff it seems)and more ewc in the spring too. LD wasn't familiar with azomite and suggested using manufacturers rate for application...that was my concern. do you know if any one source of these type amendments are better for sandy soils...i'm starting a vegetable garden soon and am curious. also,has anyone had any experience with ecosand,zeolite etc?