While at the Garden Show we saw a new-to-Australia-just-out-of-the-US product that, if you believe the claims, is the next best thing to sliced bread, powdered milk, snake oil, you name it – it has it!!

But what attracted me is that it is an all-natural ancient volcanic ash product that provides over 70 trace elements and can be used to improve your soil or the health of your stock. Now it is a well accepted fact that volcanic soil is very fertile, so I thought I would give this a try.

It is called Azomite and you can read all their claims here…

http://www.azomite.com.au/

Sounds pretty good Blue will give them a rind and see what price

Grasshopper said:

Sounds pretty good Blue will give them a rind and see what price

i sent them an email asking for more information

bluegreen said:

While at the Garden Show we saw a new-to-Australia-just-out-of-the-US product that, if you believe the claims, is the next best thing to sliced bread, powdered milk, snake oil, you name it – it has it!!

But what attracted me is that it is an all-natural ancient volcanic ash product that provides over 70 trace elements and can be used to improve your soil or the health of your stock. Now it is a well accepted fact that volcanic soil is very fertile, so I thought I would give this a try.

It is called Azomite and you can read all their claims here…

http://www.azomite.com.au/

bugger the soil I need some of that stuff for me LOL!

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

While at the Garden Show we saw a new-to-Australia-just-out-of-the-US product that, if you believe the claims, is the next best thing to sliced bread, powdered milk, snake oil, you name it – it has it!!

But what attracted me is that it is an all-natural ancient volcanic ash product that provides over 70 trace elements and can be used to improve your soil or the health of your stock. Now it is a well accepted fact that volcanic soil is very fertile, so I thought I would give this a try.

It is called Azomite and you can read all their claims here…

http://www.azomite.com.au/

bugger the soil I need some of that stuff for me LOL!

was thinking much the same myself, but they probably couldn’t get approval for human intake.

i must be a grumpy old woman because my first thought was how much greenhouse gas was generated by getting the stuff from the volcano area to Aus.

bubba louie said:

i must be a grumpy old woman because my first thought was how much greenhouse gas was generated by getting the stuff from the volcano area to Aus.

That was one of my thoughts too BL..it’s got to be mined or collected and shipped and packaged…and is it a good idea to take mineral soils from one area of the world to another ?

There was a segment on Luckylands TT the other night about magnets & water….

here is the link

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/2201031/general/magnets-changing-water-use

Lucky1 said:

There was a segment on Luckylands TT the other night about magnets & water….

here is the link

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/2201031/general/magnets-changing-water-use

the magnets and water idea has been around for a while on a domestic level, eg you can buy magnetic sleeves you put around your water bottle to “condition” it for benefits. as an agricultural benefit it might be new.

bluegreen said:

Lucky1 said:

There was a segment on Luckylands TT the other night about magnets & water….

here is the link

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/2201031/general/magnets-changing-water-use

the magnets and water idea has been around for a while on a domestic level, eg you can buy magnetic sleeves you put around your water bottle to “condition” it for benefits. as an agricultural benefit it might be new.

I took it as being new for the water and garden……

>and is it a good idea to take mineral soils from one area of the world to another ?

The iron ore industry in WA is hoping you don’t put a stop to it HP….

;^)

CollieWA said:

>and is it a good idea to take mineral soils from one area of the world to another ?

The iron ore industry in WA is hoping you don’t put a stop to it HP….

;^)

very true Collie. lol!

I gather a little goes a long way, and where they are mining it from it is in such quantity that nothing is gained by the excess, so we get to benefit instead.

I did ring about this Azomite and the bloke said it was $60—maybe $66 for 20kg and poatage on top of that—which to get to me would be another $20—I won’t be getting it—I would need a tone of it—

Grasshopper said:

I did ring about this Azomite and the bloke said it was $60—maybe $66 for 20kg and poatage on top of that—which to get to me would be another $20—I won’t be getting it—I would need a tone of it—

yes, although I think on a big scale it might be worth it for farming. I bought a little tub at the show which cost $11 and is enough for my vege beds to try out. They plan to get distributors to stock it around Australia so that it doesn’t have to be posted. I figured if I like the results then I can ask my produce supplier to get it in.

You must let us know how it goes Blue—I am only planting mostly natives no flowers and vegs—how ever I do know that up where the volcanic soil is you can grw babies there :)

hello ppls!! i thought you lot just left gardening forums for good….not so.
abc forum no longer has a silly moderator…alas it’s a very slow forum now.

i talked to the guy about the Azomite and bought a small container to try. it has provided a boost to my vegies. since it’s all natural minerals, i think there’s merit to using it. it is pricey though. i’ve been using bentonite quite a lot lately to improve my sodic/sandy soil. bentonite is a good soil wetter and helps retain moisture, whilst improving soil structure…being a volcanic clay. Azomite is not clay like, and contains many more minerals than bentonite. as the wallet allows i’ll use both when i can, as they have different properties. You can get the bentonite in a product called “Wetta soil and garden” by Munns from Bunnings etc. It doesn’t say on the bag that it’s bentonite but, it is. it’s not that cheap either but, all the organic matter in the world wasn’t helping my hydrophobic soil to wet easily. had huge tomatoes.

anyhow…hope i can now stick around here a little…

btw i’ve also used bentonite in seedling pot mixes with good effect = good sprouting and water holding, pots hold more water and hence don’t fall over with wind. coupled with some other goodies in the mix: b&b, dolomite, potash, and tiny bit of phosphor….now when the seedlings emerge they keep growing and don’t stagnate.

also used bentonite in compost bin…where old bits of turf that wouldn’t break down for months…became finished crumbly compost in 2 weeks.

i reckon bentonite is the best thing since sliced bread :)
just like Azomite, there’s not a lot of references….although Peter Bennett’s Organic Gardening book does talk about it.

aquarium said:

btw i’ve also used bentonite in seedling pot mixes with good effect = good sprouting and water holding, pots hold more water and hence don’t fall over with wind. coupled with some other goodies in the mix: b&b, dolomite, potash, and tiny bit of phosphor….now when the seedlings emerge they keep growing and don’t stagnate.

also used bentonite in compost bin…where old bits of turf that wouldn’t break down for months…became finished crumbly compost in 2 weeks.

i reckon bentonite is the best thing since sliced bread :)
just like Azomite, there’s not a lot of references….although Peter Bennett’s Organic Gardening book does talk about it.

yeah

i reckon it’s a hundred times better to use bentonite for hydrophobic soil than using petroleum based soil wetters. it’s sourced here in australia and, as per Azomite, is a organic approved input, being all natural.

hi Aquarium, good to see you again.

bentonite sounds like what I need at the moment – that product you mentioned, I assume it is all natural stuff and no nasty detergents or chemicals I’ll regret later. Knowing you, you wouldn’t use it otherwise…

aquarium said:

i reckon it’s a hundred times better to use bentonite for hydrophobic soil than using petroleum based soil wetters. it’s sourced here in australia and, as per Azomite, is a organic approved input, being all natural.

should have kept reading…

“Wetta soil and garden” by Munns from Bunning——
thanks i couldn’t find any ingredients list – i know where to get it now – and will put it in the seedling mix
g’day aquarium and good to have your advice.

actually “Wetta-Lawn and Garden” – found it on the web

http://www.munns.com.au/?module=content&showContent=38

bluegreen said:

actually “Wetta-Lawn and Garden” – found it on the web

http://www.munns.com.au/?module=content&showContent=38

i saw it at stratco but didn’t buy – the word bentonite doesn’t appear anywhere on the bag – and when you feel the bag its hard to know if its soil or those industrial granules i avoid. the price didn’t shock but i’ve forgotten what it was.

yes…it doesn’t say on the bag…but it’s just bentonite….i checked through the mining company who put me onto Munns, who gave me the details.
it’s even good on sodic/structureless clay, used together with gypsum. i’ve bought myself a ho-mi tool….that’s another story. i absolutely love that tool.
night all.

bluegreen said:

Lucky1 said:

There was a segment on Luckylands TT the other night about magnets & water….

here is the link

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/2201031/general/magnets-changing-water-use

the magnets and water idea has been around for a while on a domestic level, eg you can buy magnetic sleeves you put around your water bottle to “condition” it for benefits. as an agricultural benefit it might be new.

I saw that too, it was very impressive I thought. Seemed fairly well proven although they said they are still doing more tests.

I’m using a product called Sand Remedy – I think it’s bentonite but certainly some kind of clay. I’m also using a lot of those water holding crystals, which have been fantastic in pots.

Talk about taking coals to Newcastle. Why import when we have a few volcanoes and volcanic rocks around the place. Western Victoria is full of them. Not sure of where in the other states. In the meantime I might try to find some of that bentonite as you say it is good in clay soil.

gardenboffin said:

Talk about taking coals to Newcastle. Why import when we have a few volcanoes and volcanic rocks around the place. Western Victoria is full of them. Not sure of where in the other states. In the meantime I might try to find some of that bentonite as you say it is good in clay soil.

just a minute? – its good in sandy soil, in pots and as an organic wetting agent but i don’t think it adds anything to clay soil. could be wrong.

i can buy ‘sodium bentonite’ for $12 per 25 kilo bag.
is ‘sodium bentonite’ organic?

check with the manufacturer whether their product is organic pepe.

i just bought a big bag of azomite for $75, from Beasley’s Nursery in Doncaster East. was a fair hike for me but, it’s the only place so far in Vic that stocks it. applied it to all garden beds and pots. go vegies go.

also made the coir + bentonite + fertilizers/minerals mix for last planting of romanesco broccoli in pots.
btw last lot of windy/wild weather we had, none of my seedling pots turned over, as the mix with bentonite holds a lot more water, so the pots are heavier.

aquarium said:

check with the manufacturer whether their product is organic pepe.

i just bought a big bag of azomite for $75, from Beasley’s Nursery in Doncaster East. was a fair hike for me but, it’s the only place so far in Vic that stocks it. applied it to all garden beds and pots. go vegies go.

also made the coir + bentonite + fertilizers/minerals mix for last planting of romanesco broccoli in pots.
btw last lot of windy/wild weather we had, none of my seedling pots turned over, as the mix with bentonite holds a lot more water, so the pots are heavier.

ok – but the supplier didn’t know. i guess i’m just suspicious of sodium in the soil – its probably organic.
i bought some organic wine – but it has sulphur in it. still organic though.