TOPIC: Soils, and a new Q about depletion rates in the soil.

I hope to start another round of conversation about soils and the addendums we can and do add. However, this time I am asking about the depletion rate of soil components.

Has anyone seen or monitored the depletion rate of micronutrients? Like how much Ca is used in a growing season? or, MG, or lime?

I have had to become much more knowledgable as my areas have literally been converted from a wacky jungle of Rhodo to usable growing area. In the serial monitoring I have done for the two acres we have in production, I have been focused on geting the soils to the point where it is good for our favorite crop.

I engaged a knowledgable PHD agronmist in conversatin, in Iowa two years ago on stuff like this. He discussed things so throughly that I had a hard time keeping up with him thru-out the conversation we had. We talked for a long time, and I kept backing him up to go over some of his points about micronutrients. Again my concern was getting the soil ready to become usable for my patch3es. I believe he mentioned somethig about depletion rates, however it got lost in the rest of the converstion

While I think I've had some success - pretty good, really, I do not have a clue how much of a depletion rate there is on the calciums, the maganese, the nirogen, in NORMAL growing in any given season.

Does this make any sense to you guys? It's rather a techincal Q. I don't remember the Person's book mentioning this much. I'm sure that the depletion rate will affect the pH balance in the soil.

By the way, this is what I was thinking about on my long commute into work this morning. Gotta past the time somehow!

You probably have the soil tests already that will give you a more definitive answer, but I think the Ca in my soil depletes at something like 100-200 ppa each year.

I took a soil test last year and didn't see any micronutrient levels lower from the first test. Im interested in seeing what happens after this year since they all are producing seed. My 3 year ginseng babies have turned into mamas.

80% of these 3 year olds are producing heavy seed heads and I know they are going to start pulling alot from the soil.

Hillhopper

Wow Hillhopper !

Some really beautiful 3 year olds. I'm really impressed.

rootman

I second that. Amazing indeed. Not sure i have ever seen 3 year olds like that other than at Larry's. Your soil and seed must be excellent.
Any thoughts as to how many seeds you think you will get from your crop this year?
Latt

Hillhopper,

SWEET !

Has to be good to see your hard work paying off.

I find a lot of 20+ year old plants on the hillsides around my place here that are not near that big.

Good Looking berry pods too. Your berries are way ahead of mine here. I just checked my seed bed and did not find a single berry yet. Most of my flower spikes the flowers are still opening.

I find it odd that I am south of you but your berries are ahead of mine.

Below is what my seed bed flower spikes look like now.

Whitt - I have no info to offer on depletion of nutrients in the soil. I know in Scotts book he recommended putting down gypsum in the fall (after plants down) and again in the spring.

TNhunter

I am surprised with how well they have all done as well guys.

Latt,
I would be afraid to say at this point, if all goes well there will be quite a few. I hate to jinx it. The deer are on the blackberries now but they could run in and wipe em out at the first red site. I'll for sure try a deterrent before they start turning. They managed to eat every last wad of my goldenseal berries.

Tn,
Some are way farther along than others. A lot of mine are just opening as well. I'll have to check my native beds also, hopefully the rabbits spared them this year. They are a bit harder to go check on. Way off from from my main planting to keep their genetics pure.

Hillhopper

Hopper, I'm still amazed at how well those plants are developing for wild sim. Woodsgrown plants with the use of fungicides and some soil supplements (lime, gypsum, etc.) Commonly look like that, but you truly must have ideal growing conditions gor your plants to be that advanced as 3 year olds.... hope you have continued success.