Rock Dust is New in a Compost for 2015

In 2014 rock dust created a lot of excitement in the gardening community. 

Rock dusts Kelzyme, Zeolite and Azomite before testing.

YouTube video on rock dust
Background on Rock Dust

Raised vegetable beds were prepared and three rock dusts
were compared against the addition of compost only.,

Viragrow took a close look at three different rock dusts in a demonstration trial in North Las Vegas. The trial was overseen by University volunteer Michael Barrett at the University of Nevada Center for Horticulture and Urban Water Conservation. We did not have the funding to conduct a full-scale research trial but we relied on gardeners who volunteer at this facility to give us their feedback.

We compared three rock dusts to vegetable raised beds that had fresh compost added.  The plots were referred to only by letter; A, B, C, D. Only Viragrow knew which plot was which. Viragrow purposely stayed out of the trial so that we would have no influence over the results.

Master Gardeners and volunteers watched the plots closely and were very interested in the performance of vegetables growing in these plots. The conclusions were pretty obvious: adding any type of rock dust improved vegetable production and performance over the addition of just compost to the raised beds.

With these results in hand, Viragrow decided to include rock dust in its new compost formulation called Rejuvenate. See Rejuvinate here. Scroll to the bottom of page linked above.

Viragrow is currently carrying two different rock dusts; Kelzyme and Zeolite. Azomite performed equally as well but our decision was based on performance as well as our cost from the manufacturer.Both of these products are available in small or large quantities directly from Viragrow. For more information on these products visit our website using the two links below.

Visit Viragrow's Kelzyme and Zeolite through this link.

Viragrow Delivers!

Soil Amendment Test Plots Completed

We have been hearing alot about rock dust. We want to know if we should put some into one of our soil mixes. So we went to the experts.

Vegetable Test Plots Established to Compare Different 'Rock Dusts' at UNCE Orchard

Test plots were under construction in April, 2014, to compare the production of vegetables using soil additives Azomite, Kelzyme and Zeolite. Some have termed these rock dust.
Azomite is a mineral soil additive mined in central Utah and being promoted for improving vegetable production as well as other uses Wikipedia on Azomite.

Adding compost to the demonstration plots and forming the beds

Kelzyme, according to their website (Kelzyme website) is a "100% organic fosslized sea kelp" with similar attributes to Azomite.

Zeolites (Wikipedia on Zeolite) are a wide range of minerals. The one being tested is a Clinoptilolite zeolite mined near Death Valley. Clinoptilolite has some unique properties and has a long history in water purification, livestock supplements and horticulture and many other uses.

Planting beds being prepared for vegetable trials using Azomite, Kelzyme and Zeolite as soil additives.

The demonstration trials were amended with compost and a starter fertilizer as we would with any vegetable plot and the soil additives were soil incorporated as well as incorporated in the planting hole at the time of transplanting. Rates are determined by the manufacturers recommendations on the label. In the case of zeolite it is added at rates similar to the other two products since a label is not available.

Vegetables being used in the demonstration are tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, basil and other common vegetables planted as transplants or seed. Plots will be irrigated with drip using Netafim with 1gph emitters at 12 inch spacings. Shade will be removed by pruning the palm trees or treatments will avoid shady areas.