[CH] Compost vs Chem vs Reality

Byron Bromley (Byron.Bromley@gsd-co.com)
Fri, 24 Mar 2000 18:04:48 -0500 

Using compost on a 1 acre site. Be it 200,000 or, 750,000 lbs or 750 tons.
Odds of a person finding that much within a 4 hour radius (1 way) of their
garden is slim. That's the reality. Finding that much that has been truly
composted for a year is in the "Twilight Zone"

Denisty of the material don't mean squat when your truck is sitting on DOT
scales.

My current garden has a 28 year accumilation of compost and composted manure
at the average rate of 3 in per year. The depth of the soil has increased a
scant 3.00009 inches.

Since Mr Begg say's I sould seek the advice of my extension agent, here is a
copy of a letter from him

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Byron,

One acre-foot of soil is equal to 4,000,000 pounds (approximate).
Therefore, 3 inches of soil over one acre (43,560 square feet) equals
1,000,000 pounds (approximate).

George W. Hamilton
Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources
UNH Cooperative Extension, Hillsborough County
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


206lbs per cu yd, don't think so.

Speading 3 in of compost over an acre at 3.0000001 in, + or - .0000001in is
also out of the real of reality.

Exact soil to compost weight ratio I don't, I am not about to find out, You
desire to take a density reading of a 1 year old cow flop or horse bun,
Please be my guest.,

But here is another Reality check.

If one was to take the exact center of the chemical needs for a plant.

A. The average home gardener is + or - 500%
B. A real nut like me is maybe 50%
C. Trying to obtain a 6 digit accuracy will get a room in the nut house
because the odds of getting it done are about zip to none, there are too
many variables to make it an exact science.

Odds are the average home gardener can not tell you all the different
minerals needed for plant growth.

Odds are less than a handfull of folks on this list has ever had a soil
analysis done. Maybe I could count on one hand the number that do it yearly.

I am also aware of a County Ext agent that is on this list and someone else
who is very knowledgeable in this area. If I get out of wack or use the
wrong terms they will let me know.

When you have over a 1/2 centruy of hands on experience in the garden let me
know.

Byron