Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Organic Phosphorous

I'm still cleaning the vegetable garden and preparing for more winter crops. . . and planning for Spring.
I haven't tested the soil recently, but I have noticed my carrot have tall leafy tops and teenie roots, indicating too much nitrogen in the soil.
The addition of phosphorous (the P in NPK ratios)should be of great help.
Phosphorus is needed for root development, stem formation, and fruiting in summer vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, melons, and cucumbers.  Organic phosphorus fertilizers are available from mineral sources (rock dust or colloidal phosphate), or from bone sources.
Mineral phosphorus sources are cheaper and last longer in the soil. Bone sources are more readily absorbed by plants.
Phosphorus tends to be widely disbursed in soil, making it difficult for plants to get it within their limited root zones. 

Myccorhizal fungi have a symbiotic relationship in the vegetable garden, concentrating phosphorus and other minerals at the roots of plants. The plants provide the fungi with sugars, starches, and amino acids in exchange.

Organic Phosphorus Fertilizers (P)  
 Soil Amendment N-P-K Description Lasts Application Rate
Soft Rock Phosphate 0-18-0  Colloidal Phosphate has a clay base that makes it easier for plants to assimilate than phosphate rock. Releases over months and years in acidic and neutral soils, but breaks down poorly in alkaline soils (pH higher than 7). Peak availability in 2nd year.  2-3 Years Up to 6lbs/100 sq ft
Bat Guano (High-P) 3-10-1 High-Phosphate guano from fruit-eating bats. Excellent P source for container vegetables and gardens.  2-3 Years 2-3lbs/100 sq ft
Steamed Bone Meal 3-15-0 Made from ground cattle bones. P in bone meal is highly plant-available. Great mixed into the planting hole with bulbs. Good amendment for allium family plants (onions, garlic). May attract raccoons. P in bone meal not released in alkaline (pH greater than 7) soils. 1-4 Months  10lbs/100 sq ft
Fish Bone Meal 3-18-0  Phosphorus from fish bone meal is readily assimilated by microorganisms and plant roots in the soil.  1-2 Years 1-2lbs/100 sq ft
Rock Phosphate 0-33-0 Very slow release P source. Releases over several years in acidic and neutral soils, but won’t break down in alkaline soils (pH higher than 7). 3-5 Years  Up to 6lbs/100 sq ft.
Rock Dust (Crushed Granite)0—3-5—0,
trace minerals
 Granite fines, the dust from rock grinding and sorting operations. Very slow releasing P source, good source of trace minerals for plant immunity and tolerance of temperature extremes. 5-10 Years Up to 8.5lbs/100 sq ft
Chicken Manure1.1-0.8-0.5 Good manure source for P and some K.  3-12 Months  1/2-1” layer

(5-10 5-gal buckets/100 sq ft)
Pig Manure0.8-0.7-0.5 Good, balanced manure source of N, P, and K. Because some pig parasites and pathogens can infect humans, pig manure is not allowed in many organic protocols. If it is used, it must be hot-composted prior to use.  3-12 Months  1” layer

(10 5-gal buckets/100 sq ft)
 
The above chart is from Grow-it Organically. 

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