micronutrients from granite.

Adam Fikso irisman@ameritech.net
Wed, 09 Nov 2005 10:24:18 PST
I've been following this issues  and feel that those of us who are not 
accusomed to thinking in ppm (parts per milliion) just lose track of how 
small the quantities are that are needed, not necessarily as actual 
nutrients, sometimes, but as catalysts for necessary metabolic processes. 
For example, copper, as a micronutrient or catalyst as needed for most 
plants is given in sufficient quantity by   the amount dissolved from the 
brass fitting on the end of one's hose .  Think about that little fact for a 
while.

We are so accustomed to converse about millions, and billiions, (of 
dollars)etc. that we don't really know what we're doing when we talk "real 
money", or when these terms get translated into other venues.

If you counted as fast as you could for every hour of your life, 
sequentially,  in the manner 1, 2, 3, 4...n...you could not count to a 
billion in your lifetime.

MICROnutrients are those elements that are needed in very, very small 
amounts--we're talking molecular chemistry here, not teaspoons per plant, 
but more like a teaspoon per 100 square feet, or more.

Water, even neutral water, running over granite will dissolve 
micronutrients, sufficient for many plants, acid rain will release much 
more.  Ordinary water, together with humic acid from fallen organic detritus 
and wind-blown rock dust  brings many nutrients.

Incidentally, I concur with Jim Shields on Osmani's mystery hippeastrums, 
(Dutch cultivars) ; with John Lonsdale and others who pointed out that 
muriate of potash is KCl.  And, I don't make allowances for a cultural 
difference here, between countries.  K2SO4 is not muriate of potash, but 
potassium sulphate, regardless of the country.  Somebody there is 
misinformed just as we are here, from time to time, and for some of us--much 
of the time.  The facts of chemistry  do not change when one goes from the 
US to Germany, or Russia or Argentina.  Adam Fikso in Glenview, IL .USDA 
Zone 5a 



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