green sand

[cityfarmer]

Catjac1975 mentioned adding green sand to tired soil in one of his posts yesterday. How much does it take? We were thinking about getting compost from a local dirt/rock company and adding it to our raised beds this spring (where we originally got the soil for our raised beds). Even though we compost and our chickens add fertilizer when they are out enjoying the garden, it has been 5 years since we built the raised beds Which is better, compost or green sand? If I am misspelling green sand please forgive me.

 

[buckabucka]

I think adding compost every year is a good idea. I'm pretty sure that greensand provides potassium. You might want to try an inexpensive soil test kit to see if you are lacking in that nutrient.
Glad to hear the chickens are doing their part!
Robin

 

[gardentoad]

Catjac1975 mentioned adding green sand to tired soil in one of his posts yesterday. How much does it take? We were thinking about getting compost from a local dirt/rock company and adding it to our raised beds this spring (where we originally got the soil for our raised beds). Even though we compost and our chickens add fertilizer when they are out enjoying the garden, it has been 5 years since we built the raised beds Which is better, compost or green sand? If I am misspelling green sand please forgive me.

Ok I give up what is greensand? I have never heard of this before.

Thanks

Don

I found this info at garden supply

Supplies a variety of nutrients to improve plant health
Good source of potash, silica, iron oxide, magnesia, lime, phosphoric acid and 22 trace minerals
Helps loosen heavy clay soil

 

[April Manier]

Green sand is actually crushed Peridot. It is really become quite the rage. But what does Green Sand do?

Well, generally it is used for a few reasons. First, to break up clay soils and give better drainage. Second for potassium. We know that potassium is what regulates the uuptake of nutrients in a plant. It is the same with we humans. Potassium regulates the amount of water in the cell walls keeping us balanced.

Green sand is a 0-0-3 fertilizer. "It contains potash, magnesium, iron, silica and can contain as many as 30 other trace minerals. The recommended usage is to broadcast 50 to 100 lbs. per 1,000 square feet." says e-how.

Of course being a mineral it breaks down over an extended period of time, making it a great long term solution.

Remember when amending soil that you don't have to do it all at once! Maybe you can't afford the recommended amount, but a little for this year.

I would recommend cover crops if your soil is fine on drainage or something like mushroom/chicken/steer compost for nutrients before greensand. Raised beds tends to be nice and fluffy anyway.

Hope this helps!

PS Remember that bone meal is a great amendment. It takes 10 years to break down, BUT the roots must be in contact with it.I tend to put a mixture of Kelp, bone meal, blood meal, and rock phosphate in with transplants. This little mixture helps where its needed for the year and then continues to improve soil health when its turned in at the end of the year.

 

[hoodat]

Greensand is some really great stuff for tired soil but being basically pulverized rock it is very heavy which makes it expensive to transport. If you can find some at a price you can afford go for it. The real value isn't in the potassium, which is available cheaper elsewhere but in the trace minerals. Even plant experts aren't sure about which trace minerals plants can make use of and how the trace minerals work in synergy to promote growth. Compare prices with kelp meal which does the same job but also provides enzyms to boost soil life. Neither one is cheap but they may be feasible in localized treatment such as raised beds. A tip; all greensand isn't equal. It is a natural deposit of minerals and varies with the location it was mined from. Since the green color comes from the minerals the darker the color, the more minerals it contains.

 

[cityfarmer]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[catjac1975]

They are two vastly different things. I was told by a master gardener to use greensand every 5 years or so, I buy a few bags every year and add it to a different bed. The bag should tell you how much to spread. I just sprinkle it-not much into measuring. It is not like chemical fertilizers-it will not burn. I could not get a beet to form before using it. There can never be too much compost. I have large gardens. Though I do make compost it is not enough for our vast gardens. We add truckloads of manure and leaves to our veggie gardens every year. When we start a new bed, we add a load of manure, as much leaves as possible, (a foot?) and in NE we need to add limestone every other year. Good soil is always the answer.

 

[cityfarmer]

Thanks!

 

[majorcatfish]

this thread went dead...
was wondering if anyone else has been using green sand since the last post?

and was wondering how your results have been in your garden since adding it?

 

[Nyboy]

where do you buy greensand i don't think I ever saw it in a big box store.