Greening Up

By SHARON L HAGEMANN, NMD, DO, CH

Nurturing mineral-hungry plants

Part two

Last time I discussed some reasons for mineral imbalance in your soil. Here are a few suggestions on how to build your soil’s organic content.

Begin by an awareness of the two kinds of minerals—the major ones and the minor, or trace, minerals. Phosphorus and potash (or potassium) are the two most common major minerals that come to mind. However, calcium and magnesium should also be on the list. These four are needed in fairly large amounts, and have little potential to do harm if present in too large a quantity.

The minor (trace) minerals include zinc, manganese, molybdenum, copper, chromium, iron, selenium and boron. These are essential to plants in small amounts, but may prove harmful if too much is present. Plants missing a tiny amount of a trace mineral can charge color, become stunted, yield poorly or lack the quality needed for optimum health.

Problems we may think are plant diseases may, in fact, be trace-element deficiencies. For instance, if the leaves of a plant tend to yellow and curl upward with tissue breaking down, we might assume it is a viral disease—which has a similar effect—when actually, it is very likely a magnesium deficiency. Plant diseases usually have distinct symptoms such as discoloration or leaf curling, and spots or rings on the leaves and/or fruit. Symptoms of soil deficiencies overlap, so it is harder to distinguish which element is missing. However, if you don’t see specific disease characteristics, at least you’ll know some deficiency is causing the trouble. There are charts available through some of the gardening extension services that can help you determine which one(s).

Remember this, however. Prevention is always better than cure! If you try to remedy a specific mineral deficiency, you may very well end up unbalancing your soil’s total blend of minerals, creating yet more problems for the coming season. It’s far better to do the things that will help insure a future free of all mineral problems, rather than approach them piecemeal when problems arise.

Here are some things you can do to:

• Build your soil’s organic content — Humus helps locked-up minerals in silt and clay dissolve, so plants can absorb them. And, many kinds of organic matter are very rich in minerals, often in excellent balance. Very often therefore, the only thing you need to do to prevent mineral problems is to get enough humus in your soil. That is particularly true in gardens on good soil and where the humus content can be kept high.
• Correct acidity/alkalinity problems — Wrong pH can cause major mineral trouble. Or, mineral problems themselves can change a soil’s pH. So, make the simple check to see what your acidity/alkalinity level is, and correct it as best you can.
• Use natural mineral fertilizers — Dolomitic limestone is good for neutralizing acid soil, and it will also supply calcium and magnesium to a deficient soil. Pulverized phosphate rock is a fine source of phosphorus. Granite dust and greensand have been used to add potash to soils. These natural minerals build up the storehouse of minerals in the soil. Artificial fertilizers are soluble and fast acting, but interfere with the soil’s natural ability to continue to feed itself.
• Use natural trace-element fertilizers — Bone meal and seaweed are two excellent choices. The bones of animals collect all essential minerals, including traces of many that are essential in tiny amounts. So, bone meal can help insure good trace element balance in your garden. And, since all minerals eventually wash into the sea, plants that grow there tend to have a good balance of essential elements. Thus, seaweed extract is a popular, trace-mineral fertilizer.

In closing, remember that some minerals, known as the “heavy metals” may be harmful to both the soil and your health. They include lead, mercury and cadmium. Avoid adding anything to your soil that could include heavy metals. Sewage sludge, for example, should be carefully tested before being considered as a fertilizer. And, be on the alert for a problem with some organic industrial waste that might initially appear to seem like a good fertilizer choice.

Balancing minerals in garden soil is important. It’s your basic insurance for the long-term health of your plants and yourself. So, give it some careful thought, and make the extra effort to insure a good mineral future for your garden.