[Terrapreta] Ca & P

[rukurt at westnet.com.au]

Sean K. Barry wrote:
> Hi Randy,
>
> Someone in here (I think it was Christoph Steiner) said the natural Amazonian oxisol soils were low in pH and particularly deficit in phosphorus and calcium.
>
> SKB
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Randy Black<mailto:rblack at hillcity.k12.sd.us> 
>   To: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
>   Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 3:34 PM
>   Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Terrapreta Digest, Vol 4, Issue 66
>
>
>   To all,
>
>   I have a question about the amount or need for P and Ca in making Terra
>   Preta. From my readings I always get the fact that from fish, fish
>   parts, or bones that the Amazonian Indians always ended up with lots of
>   P and Ca in their soil. Is this a crucial ingredient in making Terra
>   Preta? Is it needed for the microbial mix? Since I believe that to make
>   Terra Preta we must emulate the Amazonians I have added a fair amount of
>   bonemeal into my garden experiement. Any ideas?
>
>   Randy Black
>   
Phosphorous  in the soil is usually in insoluble form and not available 
to plants except for the action of wee beasties, mainly the mychorizae 
(VAMs)??? Calcium also tends to be insoluble. There is only one salt of 
calcium that is soluble and that is the nitrate. So perhaps wee beasties 
are probably again responsible for making it available to plants. 
Perhaps by way of chelates??? We are still very much groping in the dark 
here.

Kurt