>Can I add an example on whether a plant takes much from the top soil. Edible >figs are constrained from growing a mass of green vegetation by restricting >the surface rooting to a 2ft by 2ft square box, 2 ft deep with an open >bottom through which the deep roots can grow. Without this the fig tree >would grow massive and not produce much fruit. Plainly it needs it's mat of >surface roots which seems to counter to your first para. I grow cherries in >large pots for the same reason. > >Ken
Hi Ken, Greg Trees have two root systems, one deep-rooter set for anchoring the things and garnering minerals from the subsoil, the other a much denser, more finely rooted surface-root system, and this is the main system the tree feeds by. These are also the main mycorrhizal roots. There's much more about this here, very interesting (the whole thing is very interesting!) - full-text online at our Small Farms Library: "An Agricultural Testament" by Sir Albert Howard, Oxford University Press, 1940. Part III Health, Indisposition, and Disease in Agriculture 9. Soil Aeration The Soil Aeration Factor in Relation to Grass and Trees The Root System of Deciduous Trees The Root System of Evergreens http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/howardAT/AT9a.html Best wishes Keith >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Greg and April" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> >Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 11:53 PM >Subject: Re: trees was: RE: [biofuel] Re: Introduction and some questions - >Newbie > > > > If the leaves and smaller branches are left, that is more than enough, > > because the large trees are getting most of the nutrients from the sub >soil > > ( that is not used by most plants ) not the top soil. You could then go > > back and put the ashes back if you really wanted to, if this was done, the > > result would be a total increase in top soil nutrients for most plants > > including young trees. > > > > Don't for get the experiment that showed most of the building blocks of a > > plant do not come from the soil at all. I don't remember all the details, > > but, I think that it was a British scientist in the 1800's planted a tree >in > > a large tub of soil that had been carefuly weighed, then much later, >weighed > > the tree, and the soil again to see how much of the soil the tree had used > > in growing, and the soil weighed a pound or so lighter, and the tree was > > more than 30 lbs. > > > > Greg H. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Martin Klingensmith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > > Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 14:16 > > Subject: Re: trees was: RE: [biofuel] Re: Introduction and some >questions - > > Newbie > > > > > > > Well, doesn't something have to replenish the minerals that you took out > > > of the soil in the form of wood? > > > > > > --- > > > Martin Klingensmith > > > infoarchive.net [archive.nnytech.net] > > > nnytech.net > > > > > > > > > > > > Robin, > > > Time is a relative thing. Compared to Radishes, Corn takes a long > > > time to grow, but we don't stop using it. Even mighty Oak trees have > > > a finite life span, and it would be wasteful to not use the resource. > > > Heating Oil from Fossil Fuels takes even longer to replenish than an > > > Oak Tree. > > > It would be irresponsible to simply leave the wood to rot on the > > > ground creating a fire hazard and breeding ground for diseases, and > > > instead use Fossil Fuels for Heating your home. > > > Once an Oak Tree is dead, whether from disease or storm damage or by > > > being cut down for whatever reason, it would be wasteful and > > > irresponsible to not utilize the wood. > > > > > > Motie Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
