How to enrich crushed limestone/sand fill dirt to healthy growing medium w/out chemicals

[frankbg]

My biggest issue in S.W. FL. is modern landscapes are chemically grown which is root cause of red tide, & demise of native animals even plants. Most forget about Microbes are needed for over all healthy environment. Ever since crushed limestone was utilized by building industry back in 1980's I started looking into natural methods to convert high pH limestone fill dirt into water absorbing soils. Found a remarkable method by almost accident. We would chip up hardwoods and store them at our nursery, as we where harvesting the methane gas to power gas powered generator and using earthworms to break it down the organic material we discovered earthworm casings. Soon we started applying wood chips that was stored and gases released to landscapes. We would toss earthworm eggs into the 'mulch'. A few months later would notice the top 3 inches of once limestone fill, has turned dark with earthy smell, as plants grew faster bigger and fuller, over all healthy. We would put down another layer of of our semi-rotted 'mulch' and would find the enrichment process would be deeper into what was once fill dirt. Took samples to FSU & ISF which they did tests on and found high amounts of nucleic acids with accelerated Microbal activity. The pH was now 6.5 from what was once 8-9 so greater amount of nutrients N-K-P was available. Long term over 2-3 yrs even more, plants grew better with no additional fertilizer needed. Longer client allowed us to use this process the deeper & better growing conditions became. Less amount of chemicals was needed, water absorption w increased. The only issue we found was storing of wood chips & allowing to rot. The EPA arrested me for creating a landfill, which I argued wasn't. Applied for license to harvest wood and turn into mulch but things got very sticky w/Methane gas production. Even SWAT came out & blew it up crazy? processing plant. It's sad one can't do something positive for environment without consequence's of some kind. It almost seems the big chemical firms don't want this to work, I know make this statement lightly

 

[Mad Professor]

I mulched my peppers and tomato plants with 3 year old rotted chips. Had lots of worms/crawlers in it, no weed seeds, keeps the weeds smothered, and conserves moisture.

 

[blades]

need to supply more details on epa ,methane vs swat. no love for epa here, cause more trouble than that department is worth.

 

[northmanlogging]

My biggest issue in S.W. FL. is modern landscapes are chemically grown which is root cause of red tide, & demise of native animals even plants. Most forget about Microbes are needed for over all healthy environment. Ever since crushed limestone was utilized by building industry back in 1980's I started looking into natural methods to convert high pH limestone fill dirt into water absorbing soils. Found a remarkable method by almost accident. We would chip up hardwoods and store them at our nursery, as we where harvesting the methane gas to power gas powered generator and using earthworms to break it down the organic material we discovered earthworm casings. Soon we started applying wood chips that was stored and gases released to landscapes. We would toss earthworm eggs into the 'mulch'. A few months later would notice the top 3 inches of once limestone fill, has turned dark with earthy smell, as plants grew faster bigger and fuller, over all healthy. We would put down another layer of of our semi-rotted 'mulch' and would find the enrichment process would be deeper into what was once fill dirt. Took samples to FSU & ISF which they did tests on and found high amounts of nucleic acids with accelerated Microbal activity. The pH was now 6.5 from what was once 8-9 so greater amount of nutrients N-K-P was available. Long term over 2-3 yrs even more, plants grew better with no additional fertilizer needed. Longer client allowed us to use this process the deeper & better growing conditions became. Less amount of chemicals was needed, water absorption w increased. The only issue we found was storing of wood chips & allowing to rot. The EPA arrested me for creating a landfill, which I argued wasn't. Applied for license to harvest wood and turn into mulch but things got very sticky w/Methane gas production. Even SWAT came out & blew it up crazy?View attachment 1103738 processing plant. It's sad one can't do something positive for environment without consequence's of some kind. It almost seems the big chemical firms don't want this to work, I know make this statement lightly

here in my part of WA we're not supposed to burn slash from land clearing, so all gets chipped/ground, then trucked off to put in gigantic piles where it freely releases methane, they charge $30-$60 a yard to dumb chips or brush, and then charge $40-$50 per yard to purchase it. And yea its an ok soil amendment, not as good as garden compost but good enough.

The real issue is the reason we're not allowed to burn, is the Puget Sound Clean Air "Authority" says its bad for the environment... which sure burning woody debris makes a bunch of smoke and particulates.... compared to 1000's of gallons of diesel and who knows how much methane released... follow the numbers and you'll get a better idea as to why.