Does diatomaceous earth have a place in this soil recipe? If so, at what amount per cuft is recommended?
What GoP said.... ask yourself why do you want to add XXX amendment to the mix?
So what's the benefit of adding DE to a soil mix?
What is DE?:
Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of a natural substance called silica.
It's composed of 80-90% silica - SiO2·nH2O
OK that's the simple answer. Yes it's mostly all silica. Silica is good for plants and humans. Over 20% of the earths crust is made up of silica. It's literally every where and all of our granites, clays and soils will have an abundance of silica in them.
So silica is a predominant part of our mineral mix that we use along with humus. peat moss, aeration and amendments.
It's brings some good things to the table or agriculture and there's evidence that bacteria will break it down into soluble silica. Good thing right? Yes of course... can we add it to our soil mix.. yes very likely we can.
A few years ago when a bunch of us were working on this soil mix and we were experimenting with the mineral portion, some of us used DE along with the other minerals we were trying out.
I'm not sure and this is where it gets murky in my brain but I think we decided to go with Basalt/glacial rock dust - as they are paramagnetic minerals. My best guess would be since all these minerals are VERY closely related that it came down to cost and availability.
DE (the proper form for gardening is food grade) and comparing the cost of DE to the cost of rock dust... not even close. I have enough balsalt dust to last a few lifetimes cost is a few cents per pound! DE food grade, its WAY more money.
So you could surely add in DE...
Price comparo - a quick google:
Food grade DE on Amazon = 10#s for about $24
Glacial rock dust = 50#s for $26
Brix blend basalt - 40#s for $48
So cost is a thing... also have to think about what other minerals the other rock dusts bring to the table. As noted, DE is almost ALL silica. The other mineral mixes are about 20-25% Silica with many many more minerals. Plants need about 70 or so different minerals to remain healthy and also keep animals that eat the plants healthy and since human at top of food chain also keeps us healthy.
IF I was going to add in DE... I would skip it since I've got enough other rock dusts to last me for a long while.
It's 1 (silica) of many minerals plants need... and a big one, but we also the rest of the mineral menu! So I go with the rock dusts and supplement silica weekly.
CEC (cation exchange capacity) is a big thing as well .... we get that mainly from the rock dusts and of course bacteria working on them and this is a reason why PH is important .... slightly acidic soil and water will help break down the minerals in rock dusts. Don't go out and buy a PH meter... a soil test will tell PH story.
It is called olla (vase from spanish) and it lets the flowers to drink whenever she feels like and not use one drop more water and time on constant can watering. Also you cannot over-water your plant as she the one who does the watering. The terracotta vase in soil (that's it!) is acting like a reservoir which the plant embraces with roots and prunes them. That plus you simply can gravity fed the whole system. I'm currently testing one with amazing results. Here The stem is super thick for how tall she is.
to my friend Kraize for his interest in going organic and asking his questions on my thread. This prompted me to compose my research into a single article on Soil Science for him and others to reference as they follow down the path of organic gardening.
