Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: grannyjanny on February 02, 2009, 12:06:33
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seers rock dust to increase fertility of the soil & to put back missing minerals. I remember seeing a piece on TV a few years ago & now we have the plot would consider using it. I also read about it in We Want Real Food & it it seems to make sense.
Janet.
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Not heard of this before. Judging by the information on the web, it seems to be largely confined to Scotland at the moment. My main query would be about the consistency of the mineral content. But sounds worth a try. Link here:
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/seers.htm
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try your local headstone manufacturer / carver. they always have rock dust waste to get rid of!! ;)
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What sort of rock is it, though? Limestone will provide nothing but lime, many sandstones are just silica, and what minerals do you want anyway?
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The programme I heard about it on the radio, it was a farm in Scotland using a high concentration of ground volcanic rock, very high in minerals and traces. This may be of interest:
http://www.barbarasher.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=9612
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Volcanic rock often does produce extremely fertile soil, but check it out thoroughly,and don't accept any old rock dust.
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Thanks Terrier.Years ago Iceland used to sell frozen organic veg grown in volcanic rock & they tasted superb.
Janet
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The link (see my earlier post) says it contains 78+ minerals and trace elements, including lime, but it doesn't say how much of each of the main ones it contains or whether there is any guarantee of consistency from one batch to another. I'd need to know more about that before using it.
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If it's all from the same rock, it should be reasonably consistent. If it's not, you could get anything.
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I bought 10 bags or SEERS rock dust from their place in Scotland. After a personal tour round their facitlity.
I was shown very old veg that looked like mine after a week or so.
I was impressed with what I saw but I cannot really say how my bits of plot with or without rock dust did as I am terrible at keeping notes. I think there are places you can get it closer than Scotland but they are limited. I put the max dose on some beds that should last 5 years.
If you contact them then I am sure they can answer all questions as they are an intelligent couple.
http://www.seercentre.org.uk/
I was impressed by what they were growing in a what was surrounded by desolute landscape!!!
SEER Centre Trust
Ceanghline,
Straloch Farm
Enochdhu
Blairgowrie
PH10 7PJ
Scotland
Tel/fax 01250 881789
email: people@seercentre.org.uk
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or Moira on
moira@seercentre.org.uk
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Thanks Andy. There is a supplier quite local to us but I just wanted some feedback from someone who had used it. I thought I might experiment & leave an area unrock dusted just to compare. I think it's £10.99 for 20kgs.
Janet.
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Janet
I can`t remember what I paid but may have been a bit cheaper direct from the seers centre.
Would be VERY interested in your findings though.
I think I remember them telling me or reading somewhere that from tests years ago from tests now that the mineral content from most of our produce is virtually gone over the years as it is not properly replaced in the soil?
Not sure how evolution would have managed this compared to the last 100 years but a LOT has changed in the latter!
Was it actually SEERS rock dust they sell near you or another make?
Andy