Grow Larger Vegetables with Rock Dust - Benefits and How to Apply

[Irineosgirl123]

4:00 I see a Chihuahua. :) 

[DocGreen15]

I thought it was Volcanic (basalt) rock dust that has the "special" properties?

[carlojpf2]

how can I keep rats away from my garden?

[drchen054]

I'm very much into remineralization but I will never believe you need 1 pound per square foot. Where in nature would plants get so much rock dust or the equivalent in dissolved minerals? It sounds unnatural and a HUGE sales push. I want to hear some sound reasoning behind this.. then maybe I'll consider it. But the pulverization of rock is going to take SOOO much energy, and with a recommendation of another 1/4 pound every year after.. jesus! I've seen people say only 1 pound per 50sqft!

[drchen054]

@drchen054 What I meant about pulverization taking so much energy is that a lot of remineralization proponents keep saying that it will result in huge growth gains and sequester a LOT more CO2. Well, if you are using diesel to crush the rocks all the time and/or ship it in from far away.. well...

[NWOareScum]

@drchen054 - i think they use quarry dust, so it'd be produced anyway. don't know if anyone has harvested lava rock or even lava itself & then cooled it?

i'm no fan of mining, but i think the general idea is salvaging stuff. it's possible to get steel from river bed minerals, metal work doesn't have to be unsustainable and damaging or even require powered machinery. obviously it never used to do either....

[drchen054]

@NWOareScum Then that makes more sense thanks. Also, I realize he said somewhere else that minerals have been depleted for a long long time which is why he recommends adding so much. eh.. maybe, we'll see.. I'm adding some to my veggies right now with my own rock mix that I pounded myself. They are a wide mixture of granite, river, and multi-color gravel rocks. Can't wait to see!

[NWOareScum]

@drchen054 - yeah you can probably get away with adding less and still get results, especially if you are using other fertilisers and techniques too.

[darthvader5300]

And use ally cropping using nitrogen fixing trees between the crop rows so that over the 1st, 2sd, and 3rd decade they will be growing roots down to subsoil and drawing it up to be used as fertilizer in the form of leaves dropping into the soil. As the rock powders, sand, and gravel is used up then the biological system, enriched by the rock dust powders, sand, and gravels will take over to continuously enrich the soil permanently for thousands of years.

[darthvader5300]

Add 2 inches of sand and 2 inches of fine gravel (1 cm across) and mix them into the soil before applying the rock dust mixture & powdered charcoal & inoculate it wt GE-FREE nitrogen fixing bacteria and mychorrizal fungi inoculants. The rock powders will create a soil micro organism population explosion that will start leaching both the sand & gravel, after 10 yrs the nearly disintegrated sand and half-disintegrated gravel takes over, after 10 ys the almost disintegrated gravel takes over.

[darthvader5300]

And add an equal amount of powdered charcoal or activated carbon mixed wt the rock dust mixture to lock in the minerals to be secured to be used by the plants. It turns soil into terra preta soil and increases yields by 880%, plus adding a bit of compost to provide the soil micro organisms to leach out and colloidalized the minerals for direct plant consumption. Plant a nitrogen-fixing living mulch inoculated wt nitrogen-fixing & mychorrizal fungi to improve plant nutrient intake & survivability

[darthvader5300]

Granite gneiss rock contains the highest number of different varieties of minerals. The restorative dose is 50 metric tons per hectare (20 metric tons per acre). Mix it with equal amount limestone rock dust for neutralizing soil acidity and alkalinity, making it ph neutral and good enough for 10 yrs. Glacial gravels is best, or use different kinds of rocks (granites, basalts like diabase basalt, andesites, dolomites, limestone, phosphate rocks, etc) in equal proportion by weight.

[twinmone]

I have been using Munash Rockdust on my garden and it has taken off over spring and now over summer its looking really great despite not much rain. I love it! Keep spreading the rockdust love boys!

[fullspectrumrainbow]

you guys are goofy......i love how you are having a good time with this.....gardening always brings me joy......i subbed......thanks for all your great info and best wishes to you and yours.

[VonLeachim]

saw piles of what looked like paper at the side of a field, looking closer could see nappies, bit of waste news papers, cardboard - all mushed up together with soil like substance, ...a week later it was spread on the fields -it smelled a little like human sewage.... seemed to be a lot of it being used the past few years.

thank goodness for worms, rock dust, comfrey /nettle tea's an home made compost..

cheers John, keep keepin on.

[NWOareScum]

@VonLeachim - 'thank goodness for worms, rock dust, comfrey /nettle tea's an home made compost..'

and green manuring, and turning the crops back into the soil or just leaving them to decay naturally.

also loos should be compost loos, then no pollution of water, and no dodgy energies from sewage instead of clear ley lines....and after 2-3 years, compost.

[curandero2012]

How much rock dust should i add to potting soil in a container??? Great vid btw

[eldrama2]

Hand gestures 101.

[BillyBones139]

I can't find rock dust locally, but I can find 'perlite' which is volcanic rock. Is that a good substitute?

[pval123]

Order the azomite today. My garden was a little better looking than your neighbors, that you highlighted in another video, but the production and non-production I do believe was caused by using bagged soil only. This is my first year in a real attempt to garden. I am starting out with a raised bed and a few planter pots. QUESTION: What is good to grow in the summer in Texas?

[algae1000]

Hi John-You might be giving granite a "bum rap". It actually has at least 11 compounds, made up of potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, siilcon, & more . These are in compounds with oxygen. To be available, the soil pH must be just right. pH breaks them apart. This is true with all rocks. Gravel only refers to size which doesn't tell us anything about what is in it (sometimes granite). Marble is calcium carbconate (limestone), but can have helpful impurities.

[MrSchmallz]

@algae1000 I think he's on target by discouraging the use of one particular rock. Granite is a felsic igneous, e.g. heavy on K-spar (KAlSi3O8). The remaining group of minerals aren't terribly diverse in composition. I think the point is to buy a dust that is composed of a wide variety of minerals, thereby maximizing the likelihood of supplying nutrients that are in demand yet deficient in native soil.

[algae1000]

@MrSchmallz Hello, yes I agree with you on using a diverse number of rocks. I wanted to point out that granite is not just a single source mineral rock, but has many minerals, and as you probably know, granites can vary with regard to composition from location to location, and some, depending on what you are growing, can supply most if not all of the necessary nutrients, particularly in California.

[DannyCassette]

Well I'm sold on this. Just ordered a bag of Azomite rock dust for my pepper plants. They are already planted in large pots. How do I mix in the rock dust?

[Soldier957]

Isn't the absorption rate of rockdust relative to the soil pH? What is the optimum pH of the soil then?

[MrSchmallz]

@Soldier957 Uptake rates are strongly affected by soil pH, but the "optimum" pH varies by plant.

[PJDolan1]

John, I found an excellent source for rock dust your viewers may be interested in.

Alisorganics will ship Azomite rock dust powder in large USPS flat rate priority boxes. Each box holds 30 lbs of rock dust and shipping per box is only $14.95. I ordered 60 lbs (2 boxes) for only $58.80, including shipping. This is a huge savings over UPS shipping.

This shipping option is not on Ali's website, so people will have to contact her through her website to request it.

[jiminirvana]

if i crush my own rocks can i make the same kinda rock dust



[ElaCAGreek]

Is there a concern with rock dust use in the garden if there are trace heavy metals in the material?

Keep up with the great videos!!! Love them all. By the way sorry to see your wind damage to your garden in your recent episode. You’re a totally positive guy, would love to have you as my neighbor !!

[ElaCAGreek]

Is there a concern with rock dust use in the garden if there are trace heavy metals in the material? See link for analysis

[ElaCAGreek]

I'm totally inspired to start a garden this year. I have a 25 foot by 5 foot space with heavy clay that needs a lot of work before i begin planting.

I'm planning to use Griffith Park Compost (with Zoo doo) to amend the soil. I'm also planning to use Rock Dust (Azomite or the Gaia). I'm doing research on those two products now and the gaia seems to have trace "HEAVY METALS".

[ElaCAGreek]

I'm totally inspired to start a garden this year. I have a 25 foot by 5 foot space with heavy clay that needs a lot of work before i begin planting.

I'm planning to use Griffith Park Compost (with Zoo doo) to amend the soil. I'm also planning to use Rock Dust (Azomite or the Gaia). I'm doing research on those two products now and the gaia seems to have trace "HEAVY METALS".

[Ccoach55]

Hey John,

I have been doing my research and picked up paramagnetic rock dust. It is the only stuff i could find locally. . I'm pretty sure from my research that this will work the same as your stuff. . a peace at mind on this subject would be grateful. .

[Guugleable]

awesome - wish you had more views you deserve it - PEACE and LOve amigo

[luminaia]

As always, great video! Lot's of good info. I also enjoyed looking through Don Weaver's online ebooks. I use Agrowinn-Minerals rock dust. Superb product. They're at fertilizeronline d com.

[MrKevMan]

You can literally coat your plants with azomite and they wont show any signs of stress.

[gekizai]

Looks like somebody applied the rock dust to Mr. Weaver! He's not quite 'Acromegaly Man' but still... that's a big fella there.

[tcbink]

Do you use Diatomaceous Earth, and can you do a show about it's uses?

[timmybuchanan]

Thanks John,

Question... what do you know about cat crap in gardens? How to make your gardens less appealing to cats, does it break down, etc.

[growingyourgreens]

If beds are empty, cats will go in. If they are full of things growing; they will not. You can put some small fencing up around the beds to keep cats out. I will have an upcoming eposide about this very subject. I pick out the cat stuff when I see it in my raised beds.

[timmybuchanan]

@growingyourgreens. Thanks - will keep an eye out for your upcoming episode... I hope you use gloves when you "pick out the cat stuff" :-)

[KC1971J]

@timmybuchanan He's right about that. As soon as you till it up, it must look soft and appealing, like a cat litter box. You could also just plant a cover crop/green manure plant like hairy vetch, clover, austrian field peas, alfalfa, or fenugreek. That will keep the cats out, add nitrogen, feed the worms/microflora, and add organic matter to the unused bed.

[RaisedBedJohn]

Great info, thank you!

[pamme777]

Nice vid! Nice to see Don Weaver! Hey Don!

[Richie926]

You should look into Zeolite my dad has a mine and i use it in all my plants and this guy that owns the biggest green house in calgary alberta uses it also and it makes his plants alot bigger.

[cecilygreenbean]

interesting, I added rockdust this year and my eggplants were small. It must have been too much magnesium. What could I add to counter this effect? compost? fertilizer?

[Hobohube]

thanks john, john.

[mysciencenow]

i was telling you not to breathe it a few months ago....if this guy wants some of my dirt samples let me know

[flyingemu27]

Thanks for the info John. :D

[TheUrbanOutdoors]

Great video...this is the one I was waiting for....thanks Jon

[prayfortruejustice]

Good video.

Farmers are actually Miners =) ...for the bankers =(

4:01 I think your dog was adding urea to the garden.

What about asbestos, radiation, and toxins? Some granite or gravels have high levels of nasty stuff. Some processed Limestone coming from SCRs (scrubbers) has high levels of mercury too (all approved by the EPA/USDA for farms).