Perennial Crops

[DirtMechanic]

An interesting read. The deep roots make the humic materials we value so much in a garden. The plains were covered in these grasses.

Digging Deep: How to Feed the World With Perennial Food Crops | DiscoverMagazine.com

A leading researcher dishes the dirt on potentially sustainable agriculture for a growing global population.

discovermagazine.com

 

[zigs]

Good article

 

[Meadowlark]

Yes interesting read. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Celina]

Good read, thanks for sharing. I've been wanting to do perennial edible landscaping out of pure laziness, but it looks like it could be beneficial as well! Interestingly, there was one perennial I was looking into, Purple Tree Collards, and one site suggested it be moved every couple of years because it can deplete the soil of calcium...

 

[DirtMechanic]

Calcium nitrate would help that, its like one of the only forms of dissolvable calcium. I learned about it for use on our blackberries once the post berry trimming occurs to promote cane regrowth for next season. Works great for tomato and okra and squash and cucumber also, all the fast growers that are hungry all the time.

 

[Celina]

Oh interesting, so does that mean my fertilizer that contains Calcium Sulfate is not as bioavailable to the plants? I guess I will need to do some research!

 

[DirtMechanic]

From the wiki;

"Calcium sulfate (or calcium sulphate) is the inorganic compound with the formula CaSO4and related hydrates. In the form of γ-anhydrite(the anhydrous form), it is used as a desiccant. One particular hydrate is better known as plaster of Paris, and another occurs naturally as the mineral gypsum. It has many uses in industry. All forms are white solids that are poorly soluble in water.[6] Calcium sulfate causes permanent hardness in water."

I would suppose it takes enzymatic action from soil biology to break it down into useable form for plants.