Potash, dolomite lime, trace elements. blood and bone?

[nickolas]

Are they all organic? Are any of them cheap and easy to make or should I just buy them? And if I do buy them how much do I buy and what is the going price rate? And when I have them how much do I use? when do I use them? how do I apply them when I use them? what do I use them on? And lastly what are they make out of?
I am out of questions for now but I mite have more for you lot later.

Any advice will be greatly received.

[GardenRN]

Blood and bone are just that. Blood......and bone. Crushed into crumbles. Organic? that's probably debatable. dolomite and lime....I think the lime is limestone but I could be wrong on that one. Dolomite....I have no idea. Napolean Dolomite?

Apply according to the directions on the package.

How to apply? I prefer to do it by hand in a broadcasting manner. But I suppose the blood and bone could be a side dressing as well.

The Blood meal, Bone meal, and dolomite would be good for your no dig potato beds!! Along with composted manure.

The lime would be good for your heavy clay soil. It would take some of the acidity out of it. (I'm sure it's pretty acidic isn't it?) You can also get lime with gypsum and that is good for breaking up the clay a bit as well.

[tomc]

Are they all organic?

More or less. I guess it depends on your paranoia level

Are any of them cheap and easy to make or should I just buy them?

Blood or bone meal are slaughterhouse by-products. If you don't have the first, making the by-product is not practicle.

Ground limestone and ground dolomite are by product of quarrys. My failing memory tells me dolomitic (limestone) has more phosphorus in it.

Sometimes you will see this pelletized, which aides in application.

I think its worth noting all of these agricultural products are the left overs of doing something else. Generally the home sized value-pack is in 50 pound bags. Commercially you only pay a tiny fraction of the retail price when you buy by the ton. *If* you just happen to have a dump truck sitting idle...

And if I do buy them how much do I buy and what is the going price rate? And when I have them how much do I use? when do I use them? how do I apply them when I use them? what do I use them on? And lastly what are they make out of?

That depends, a soil test at some point is probably going to be a starting point, and speaking to your county agricultural office should help you translate a soil test result into a 'pounds per 100 square feet application rate'.

I am out of questions for now but I mite have more for you lot later.

There are no stupid questions. But which of these agricultural products your garden might need; have to have a begining point of lack in your soil. Like:

Bone meal, dolomitic limestone-- a lack of phosphorus in your dirt.

Blood meal--a lack of nitrogen

Plain-jane limestone, an acidic soil that needs sweetening.

If your paranoia level is high, and the idea of prions, scare you spitless. Slaughter house by products might not be a good product for you.

I do expect that if I can find my way with this stuff you can too.

[farmerlon]

Dolomite Lime supplies more Magnesium than "standard" lime. Both types of lime are a good source of Calcium.
To my knowledge, neither Lime or Dolomite Lime provide phosphorus.

[applestar]

Right, magnesium in dolomitic lime. Both types of lime supplies calcium but more importantly, raises pH levels. Since magnesium is a micronutrient, you don't want to mess with the levels without knowing if your soil needs it. Excess magnesium suppresses uptake of another nutrient that I can't remember.

Bone meal supplies nitrogen in addition to calcium and phosphorus.

Potassium... I think I usually get that from greensand and kelp. Also lots of banana and other fruit skins in the compost.

[tomc]

Others memory is clearly working better than mine. I am content with standing corrected.