Sunday, November 11, 2007

Coal Dust as Soil Tonic

Coal Dust as Soil Tonic

Carolyn Ditchfield (at http://www.fromthesoilup.com.au) sent this response to our enquiry about the use of coal dust in soils:

''''

Generally you get the results from only brown coals - LaTrobe Valley coal is
perfect and used quite a lot by a host of biological companies. That is
where humic and fulvic acids can be extracted from as well.

Ideally you want to mix the coal in with other goodies to get a really
synergistic bang and again, many biological companies are doing that.

Nutri-Tech have LifeForce
http://www.nutri-tech.com.au/products/dryminerals/life-force-basic-blend.htm

Lawrie & Co have the BioLogic Blend, but also sell the raw coal too
http://www.lawrieco.com.au/page.php?id=115

The one that I am particularly partial to is CaP Release made in Moree using
cow manure mixed with coal, rock phosphate, basalt, lime and microbes
http://www.fromthesoilup.com.au/products/broadcast-fertilisers

Roughly speaking when you read about the effects of humates you are reading
about brown coal.

Some people would have you believe that black coal cannot be used - and
generally speaking it does not release its load readily, but Nutri-Tech
discovered many years ago that with a secret blend of 'herbs and spices' and
good composting, they could and turned it into one of their mainstay
products - Nutri-Store 180 and Nutri-Store Gold
http://www.nutri-tech.com.au/products_new/dry-mineral-fertilisers/dry-minera
l-fert.html

To use coal in this way is fantastic - it puts organic matter back into the
soil, but sparks it into life, which then creates more carbon
production/sequestration. Farmers are already paying a reasonable price for
it per tonne compared to the commodity price, yet it quite cheap, and
certainly makes even conventional fertilisers more effective.

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