This is my first post here. I’m starting to like this forum because of the abundance of local knowledge as well as the passion many of us “educated elites” have for farming.
I live in Hyderabad and am keenly interested in gardening. I started about 2.5 years back and now grow about half of the vegetables we consume using mostly/all organic inputs. I do it intensively on about 3,500 square feet. Was a tough uphill task learning about different vegetables/growing patterns Etc.
Now I’m facing a rather peculiar situation. As my vegetable gardening knowledge has increased I’m finding that my regular fertilizer/seed shop guy as well as other shops in Hyderguda (Hyderabad) is unable to answer/supply the stuff I need.
So I figured I’ll ask for help here.
I’m looking for some organic inputs…
Rock Phosphate: After extensive Google searching I came across Rajastan Mines (brand called “RajPhos”) but am not able to find either that or any other source of rock phosphate. I need about 50-100 Kg but was told I can’t get such small quantities in Hyderabad. Does anyone know where I can get good quality Rock Phosphate in Hyderabad?
Gypsum (NOT Phospho Gypsum):
Gypsum comes in two forms. The first one is mined from the earth and the label should just say “Gypsum”. Phospho Gypsum is obtained as a byproduct in the manufacture of some fertilzers. Once again I did some research online and came to know the United States EPA does not allow using Phospho Gypsum in agriculture. Now back home in Hyderabad the fertilizer guys are passing off Phospho Gypsum as safe to use. So does anyone know where I can get about 100 Kgs of mined Gypsum in Hyderabad?
What about other stuff you use like oil seed cakes (castor cake, peanut cake), fish meal, bone meal Etc? Where do you guys source it from in Hyderabad?
I have no answer to your questions. However are you saying the gypsum so widely used in India, including to correct soil anomalies should not actually be used? If I remember correctly this is also supplied by the government on subsidy?
attaching an email discussion from cityfarmers yahoo group
For a city farmer, preparing Amrit Mitti and forgetting about soil testing seems the best approach. If you are concerned about mineral deficiencies (which probably the amrit mitti process cannot take care of … unless the biomass you add to it has all the right minerals), just add 1 part rock dust to 5-10 parts of your soil. You can get rock dust from crushers or a local road construction site … you must have seen them dust the top of a finished road with what is commercially called ‘grit’. Read up more about using rock dust for growing plants … I have personally got great results.
It makes a lot of sense to get soil testing done if you have a larger tract of land and especially if you want to grow plants for revenue generating purposes. Even more if you have specific plants in mind. For instance, my land in Konkan shows great deficiencies in Phosphorous, Zinc, Boron … and to some extent in Potassium. I plan to use Bonemeal, Stone Dust, Biochar, and plenty cow manure to correct the balance. I am having to resort to bonemeal for phosphorous … I am not aware of other good natural sources (India does not have good rock phosphate). I say ‘resort to’ not for compassion/ethics, but for the fact that commercial bonemeal is likely to be gotten from cattle reared on a life of antibiotics and heavy chemical usage.
you can register with group, they are good for urban gardening and are active in response but mostly based out of mumbai and pune.
I too have looked a lot for rock dust have not found it - geekgardener b’lore has info for bonemeal and some related stuff.
The second part to this being would like to get in touch with you on such extensive vegetable growing that too organic. I live in kukatpally/hitex area and have failed miserably - even methi and palak does not grow for god knows reason.
recently I have started gardening project at the school I teach so any info /help will be useful there, for I hate to see kids disappointed.
thanks sorry for the long reply.
madhavi
Hi Chandra,
I spent several hours reading up on Google and found several authoritative links (Journals, Thesis, US Government agency websites such as EPA Etc.)
Based on all of that reading I got the idea that Phospho Gypsum is not ideal for edible crops whereas mined Gypsum is. (when required) NOTE the difference. Phospho Gypsum will say so on the bag. If it doesn’t say so or if you are buying in bulk it’s better to be absolutely sure.
Please go through this link if you are interested. I’m sure you will be as shocked as I was.
I think I can help you here… at least a little bit.
I too have looked a lot for rock dust have not found it
The bedrock in Hyd is granite so its available. (Hint: If someone is digging a borewell then it’s all rock dust, free for the taking. Secondly on the way to the airport where there are big quarries you can get some fine rock dust for free. Just be sure to carry a bag and especially pick from under the conveyor belt. This is the finest powdery soft rockdust which will mineralize faster. Thirdly due to sand shortage rock dust is available for sale just about every where in Hyd. Just ask any neighbourhood contractor. One bag will last you for a really long time.)
Just remember the finer the better, ideally as fine as talcum powder. Granite rock dust is good but Basalt rock dust which you find in and around Bombay Pune is “supposed” to be infinitely better.
geekgardener b’lore has info for bonemeal and some related stuff.
Yup aware of his excellent blog as well as the city farmers website. Thanks though.
The second part to this being would like to get in touch with you on such extensive vegetable >growing that too organic. I live in kukatpally/hitex area and have failed miserably - even methi and >palak does not grow for god knows reason.
I am available on this forum. So shoot away.
But first try this and get back to me. Mix one portion of vermicompost with 2 portions of fine red mud. Mix evenly and wet throughly. Put this mixture in any suitable container/pot which has good drainage. Then soak methi seeds for an hour in water and sprinkle them heavily on top. Cover with a plastic cover (to reduce moisture loss) and then with a newspaper. Wait for 3 days. From the fourth day open daily to see if any sprouts have come up. (cover if no sprouts come up) Don’t water again till you see sprouts come up.
As soon as you see some sprouts keep in sunlight.
After 20-30 days enjoy! Bon Appetit.
Spinach is a bit harder to grow. (Very slow germination and requires cooler climate. Oct - Feb is ideal in Hyd or grow in shade or using a shade net) For children the best bet is Thotakura (Amaranthus). Grows like a weed! In fact so does Gongura (French Sorrell). In general all leafy greens are easy to grow and grow fast.
If anything is unclear let me know. I’ll clarify. If you have any questions on this do let me know and I’ll try to help as will others on this excellent forum.
Hi Prasad
Thanks for the reply. I am presently out of town will do that with methi after I get back. Actually after rains in HYD like around june 15 have had some luck with palak - mostly in containers - about 2 standard pots have some good sized spinach. Also bendi seeds given by a gardener are doing pretty well.
Vermicompost, seeds where do you get them
is your garden on the terrace or ground
most of my garden area is getting covered with with large plants like banana/ramphal so I am losing space to grow veg’s.
school project is comming along - have bottle gourd/ridge gourd/palak/methi planted - sowed some tomato seeds but have not sprouted -there is less space again so we have to try some terrace garden - waiting for the heavy rains to get over or some type of cover for small plants
thanks again.
madhavi
If buying small quantities get from the closest nursery or in Hyderguda. For the first time last april, I purchased a ton directly from NIRD, Rajendranagar for 3.5/kg. (about half of what you would in retail) If you want less quantity you can still buy from there but its not worth the time/effort. They do sell in the exhibitions during January 26th and August 15th. If you are only growing in pots maybe the nursery opposite malaysian township should be able to mix it for you.
Seeds and stuff I get from Indo American Hybrid or Janatha in Hyderguda. Just recently I started searching for organic seeds & country/natu seeds and started getting it from various sources. Don’t have a definite list yet.
I garden on the ground in about 3,000 square feet.
Two product that you are looking for are antagonist to one another. Gypsum is used In high PH soil to reduce PH. Rock phosphate is suitable only in acidic soils & not available to plants that have alkaline soil.
All Gypsum available in India is Phopho Gypsum. you can safely convert it to quality nearest to natural by washing ( drain) out with good quantity of water 3-4 times.
Since your quantity is low & your soil not acidic, I recommend to use steamed & fine powdered bone meal.
I am Mogileeswara Reddy, working near to Zaheerabad in a company which produces rockwool a thermal insulation material an industrial product. This is made up of Basalt Rock as major portion and with mix of BF Slag & Dolomite as minors. During the process of production there is a waste of wool thrown to the ground which further becomes the powder.
Just to denote you that the said wool is made by melting the said 3 stones (Basalt, BF Slag & Dolomite) and such melt will be fiberized to small fibres to 2 milli microns. I.e. the powder/dust generated out of this wool is even more finest one as you quoted about quarry dust.
Moreover, as you said Basalt dust is the finest among all, this will even better suits for gardening.
Since I have been given with quarters within the factory, I have sufficient place for gardening, and I tried applying this to some of my plants (mainly of flower & fruit plants) and found betterment than normal. I observed early crop than the other which is not applied with this powder. And the quality and size also better.
Can you please provide your contact numbers so as to discuss in detail. mine is 9010198835. Feel free to contact me
Hi,
what is the combination / ratio to use rock dust in organic manure. Any one practiced in for large farming? also, please let me know if any difficulties for plant grown and yield wise.
I have seen most of video ( US based farm) and giving good result.
We are using Rock phospate from more than 12 years. Generally we use 2 to 3 tons per acre and it is giving good results, for the crops, all incl fruits plants, flower plants and vegetable plants.
It is an organic fertiliser and do well composting, good to use. Plants found growth wise good and got considerable good yields.
Thanks Rao, One of the USA based organic farm used decomposed manure ( Chicken Manure , Leaf dust , Rock dust) and return good result. so i have raised this question. thanks for clarifying me.
In India, we are processing Chicken manure with Super Phosphate earlier and from past few years with Rock phospate , instead of Super Phosphate, and getting good results.
As far as the recommendations of the Agri/Horti authorities, we have to keep a heap of chicken manure and adding required Super Phosphate and/or Rock Phosphate in a pit , and close the pit with soil on top. Add required water on top and continue to maintain humidity in the chicken manure and Super Phosphate/Rock Phosphate mix. ( watering should not be more and only to required Humidity maintenance in the mix. )
After 2 or 3 months, the chicken manure will be fully ready to apply to the soil for crops farming . Before applying, we have to ensure that the chicken manure mix is in normal temperature, not hot.
We observed that Rock phosphate chicken manure mix, after 3 months curing giving very good results , for the applied crop. More over it is rich organic manure.