[Terrapreta] microorganisms "chelate" minerals from soil

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Sean

Dr. Karve has NEVER suggested that plants be grown in pure silica sand.
Kurt suggests teh use of a sand derived from granite. Such granite sand
has every mineral and trace element required for healthy plant life,
except for H, N, and C.

Did you ever see a total analysis of granite?

Kevin

Sean K. Barry wrote:
> Kurt,
> 
> Kurt wrote,
> 
> "Perhaps that is precisely what we need to do. Take some sand,
> perhaps from decomposed granite. Wash it well to remove all organic
> material, add some wee beasties to some and some sugar to part of
> that, making three lots of soil and plant some seeds in them to see
> how they grow. Any ideas?"
> 
> That's been suggested.  You are right about chelation too, Kurt ->
> http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10r.html<http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10r.html>
> 
> 
> The thing is, pure sand, sans organic matter, is pure Silicon-Dioxide
> (SiO2).  There is not one atom of any necessary plant nutrient to be
> found in that chemical compound (SiO2).  So, I don't see how any army
> of "wee beasties" (grown with even gallons of sugar water per square
> meter) is going to make one atom of any of the plant nutrients (N, P,
> K, S, Ca, Mg, Fe) more available to plants, when the nutrients are
> simply not there.
> 
> Any new ideas about how that might occur?
> 
> SKB
> 
> 
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> 
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