Rock Dust!

What have your results with Rock Dust been like?

Success? Failure? Question? Comments?

Discuss Here!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Heathcote on May 17, 2013 at 3:23am

We operate in South Africa. Our company's focus is improving the quality of soil for farmers.

We produce Effective Microbes and supply it to farmers ( vegetables,citrus, dairy pastures) .

We have only recently started using rock dust in some field trials . we are learning as we go. The questions I have are:

1) Can rock dust be diluted with water and applied as a foiliar spray ?

2) Because it is so fine how can a farmer apply it to the soil when planting seeds ( potatoes, alphalpha etc)

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Permalink Reply by Joanna Campe on May 18, 2013 at 4:02pm

Hi Chris,

I am currently in transit from Brazil, a night in São Paulo waiting for my flight tomorrow, where I attended a conference on remineralization. You could read about that conference on the website and of course I will be reporting on it.

Yes, rock dust can be diluted with water and applied as a foliar spray. I suggest that you experiment with that.

I am also aware from the conference of germinating seeds with rock dust. Are you planting seeds by hand, or mechanically?

I would like to suggest that if possible you of the rock dust before planting the seeds when you till the soil.

Also, I can probably give you some better answers, after I have rested a few days on my return.

All the best,

Joanna

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Permalink Reply by Chris Heathcote on May 20, 2013 at 1:50am

Hi Joanna

Thanks for the reply . I have a farmer who used it as foilar spray and he said it damaged the the mechanism of the pump ( piston pump) Please advise what type of pump you reccomend?From what we have noticed there is a large volume of rock dust that sinks to the bottom of the tank as a sediment. How do we overcome that?

We are planting mechanically ( seeds) . How would you suggest we apply the rock dust ?

We are also planting seedlings. We apply the rock dust into the hole that the rock dust is going into and then apply half a kg under the drippers?

Regards

Joanna Campe said:

Hi Chris,

I am currently in transit from Brazil, a night in São Paulo waiting for my flight tomorrow, where I attended a conference on remineralization. You could read about that conference on the website and of course I will be reporting on it.

Yes, rock dust can be diluted with water and applied as a foliar spray. I suggest that you experiment with that.

I am also aware from the conference of germinating seeds with rock dust. Are you planting seeds by hand, or mechanically?

I would like to suggest that if possible you of the rock dust before planting the seeds when you till the soil.

Also, I can probably give you some better answers, after I have rested a few days on my return.

All the best,

Joanna

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Permalink Reply by Chris Heathcote on June 25, 2013 at 3:02am

Hi Joanna

How are you doing?

I am still waiting for some answers as you mentioned in your last post.

Regards

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Permalink Reply by Joanna Campe on June 25, 2013 at 11:14am

Hi Chris,

For germinating seeds, that all sounds good. But please do realize that I am neither a scientist nor a soil consultant and you can probably get a more specific answer if you decide on a product and get the information directly through a company. It would be great if we could get a response from the forum from some others.

To be on the safe side, perhaps you want to use a foliar spray of a sea product and inquire from some of the rock dust companies about foliar spraying.

I so wish I could spend more time on the Ning or get some people here who are experts and can answer questions. It all depends on building enough of a momentum that there is enough activity here to ensure that and that can be the challenge of a Ning. I would love to find some volunteers who would like to dedicate themselves to this.

All the best,

Joanna

Chris Heathcote said:

Hi Joanna

How are you doing?

I am still waiting for some answers as you mentioned in your last post.

Regards

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Permalink Reply by Rocky on April 3, 2018 at 3:18am

After.only.about.1.year.after.sprinkling.rock.dust!
25cents/100grams/M2.

I.might.be.wrong.about.rock.dust.improvements.because.I.think.that.I.increased.my.watering.also.
But.rock.dust.is.claimed.to.reduce.the.need.for.water.too.

Seemingly.Jelly.Palm/Butia.capitata.fruit.sometimes.twice.as.heavy!
RedCherryGuava.maybe.50%bigger/heavier.
Maybe.WhiteSapote.sometimes.33%bigger.

Fruit.fly.problem.lessened.a.lot.with.the.red.cherry.guava,and.maybe.with.the.Sapote.too.

But.even.though.I.have.what.seems.to.be.great.successes,according.to.a.Sydney.radio.show.about.gardening.on.from.midday.to1pm,their.SandraRoss,(mother.of.LindaRoss).both.seem.to.say.that.Sydney.does.not.need.rock.dust,but.that.west.of.the.blue.mountains.they.do.need.it.

I.am.sure.that.they.only.say.that.because.they.have.a.commercial.agreement.to.promote.other.products.eg.one.seaweed.fertiliser.brand(Seasol).

I.don't.get.paid.to.promote.anything.
So,I.speak.the.truth.

Do.I.need.to.use.less.than.100grams/M2?

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Permalink Reply by Joanna Campe on April 3, 2018 at 1:02pm

Hi Rocky,

It seems I always get this message is when I am in transit from Brazil! I fly back to the rest tomorrow.

I'm having a bit of a problem reading this message, because of the periods. If you are getting good success with what you are doing, I would suggest that you stay with it, is the question of how often you need to apply rock dust.

Please feel welcome to write up a blog of your own on the name here about your results and perhaps we could turn it into an article, especially if you have some photos.

My best,

Joanna at RTE

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Permalink Reply by Rocky on April 3, 2018 at 5:59pm

What.does.this.mean?:

"...on the name here..."

Joanna Campe said:

Hi Rocky,

It seems I always get this message is when I am in transit from Brazil! I fly back to the rest tomorrow.

I'm having a bit of a problem reading this message, because of the periods. If you are getting good success with what you are doing, I would suggest that you stay with it, is the question of how often you need to apply rock dust.

Please feel welcome to write up a blog of your own on the name here about your results and perhaps we could turn it into an article, especially if you have some photos.

My best,

Joanna at RTE