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Showing posts from July, 2009

Understanding and Improving Clay Soil

Clay soil is prevalent many parts of the United States, and it can be a real pain if you happen to decide that you want to plant a flower or vegetable garden. While many trees and shrubs grow well in clay, the roots of the majority of annuals, perennials, and vegetables just aren't strong enough to make their way through. And if spring flower bulbs are your dream, forget it. Bulbs tend to rot over the winter in clay soils. With a bit of background about clay, and a strategy for improving your soil structure, you'll be able to grow flowers and vegetables to your heart's content. What is Clay Soil? Clay soil is defined as soil that is composed of mostly clay particles. Soil that consists of over 50% clay particles is referred to as “heavy clay.” To determine whether you have clay soil or not, you can do a simple soil test Most likely, you probably already know if you have clay soil. If your soil sticks to shoes and garden tools like glue, forms big clods that aren't easy

UREA

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Introduction In the past decade urea has surpassed and nearly replaced ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer. This has brought about new questions on urea and its use. Fertilizer Urea Urea, a white crystalline solid containing 46% nitrogen, is widely used in the agricultural industry as an animal feed additive and fertilizer Here we discuss it only as a nitrogen fertilizer. Physical Forms of Urea Commercially, fertilizer urea can be purchased as prills or as a granulated material. In the past, it was usually produced by dropping liquid urea from a "prilling tower" while drying the product. The prills formed a smaller and softer substance than other materials commonly used in fertilizer blends. Today, though, considerable urea is manufactured as granules. Granules are larger, harder, and more resistant to moisture. As a result, granulated urea has become a more suitable material for fertilizer blends. Advantages of Fertilizer Urea Urea can be applied to soil as a solid or sol

Chinese farmers gain new access to bank loans

Beijing - More than 150 rural households in Liaoning Province have secured a collective bank loan using their farmland as collateral, setting a precedent which could see more poor rural families get access to bank loans, state media reported Sunday. Under Chinese law, farmland belongs to a collective, and the country's farmers work their land based on 30-year contracts. While they recently won the right to transfer their land rights, it's still illegal for farmers to use this land as collateral for loans from financial institutions. However, the official Xinhua agency reported that 151 households in Faku county, Liaoning Province signed off on a loan of 300,000 yuan (44,000 dollars) on Thursday, using their right to farm on 60 hectares of land as collateral. The deal, endorsed by the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, and the China Banking Regulatory Commission, is part of a pilot project aimed at promoting new rural financial services. The lo

Vermicomposting

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Vermicomposting, which is composting using worms, can be a faster alternative for organic waste treatment, with the added advantage of better quality fertilizer with nutrients in the slow-release form. Vermicomposting also adds valuable soil microbes into compost and digestive fluids of worms can also be beneficial. Vermicomposting is the breakdown of organic material that, in contrast to microbial composting, involves the joint action of different species of earthworms (not all earthworms are composting worms) and microorganisms and does not involve a thermophilic (i.e., high heat) stage. Because the matrix contains many different organisms, this can be considered as an anthropogenic ecosystem. As the agents of turning, fragmentation and aeration, the worms consume organic wastes such as food waste, animal wastes and sewage sludge to produce a soil conditioner. Vermicomposting may only process organic waste of a suitable structure for worms and the optimum waste streams include some

Sodium triphosphate

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Formula: NA 5 O 10 P 3 Description: white powder; melting point degree centigrade; easily soluble in water; it has got salient chelating capacity to ions of ca and mg etc. And can soften hard water to make suspension solution become into clear solution; it has got weak alkalinity but no corrosiveness. It is a surfactant, and has got outstanding emulsification to lubricants and fat. It has different bulk density, i.e. Low density 0.35-0.5g/cm 3 , medium density 0.51-0.65g/cm 3 3 . This product has two crystalline forms, namely type I (high temperature type) and type ii (low temperature type). The chemical properties of the two types are the same, and the difference between them lies in the thermostability, hygroscopicity, and solubility and hydration heat when dissolving. and high density 0.66-0.9g/cm Uses: It is used in various applications such as preservative or seafood, meats, poultry and pet foods. It is also used in toothpaste and as a builder in soaps and detergents.mproving the

Flower Fertilizer

Make your Flower Gardens Explode with Color. Flowers need proper nutrients just like you do. One way to help your flower gardens come alive is to give them what they need… Flower Fertilizer. Understanding Fertilizers in General: Fertilizer is plant food (nutrients) for flowers, trees, shrubs, and other flora. Nutrients are available in various amounts in nature, and plant life needs these nutrients to survive and grow. The primary big 3 of the nutrients that plants need large amounts of are: Major Plant Nutrients: 1. Nitrogen 2. Phosphorus 3. Potassium [1] Nitrogen – This is the main nutrient for new green growth. This is especially important for plants that are mostly all leaf such as grasses. As a result the ratio for lawn fertilizers has a higher 1st ratio number meaning more nitrogen in the mix. [2] Phosphorus – This nutrient promotes good root development and strengthens the flower or plant. It also results in increased blooms on flowers so lots of phosphorus is great for bulbs an

Sodium carbonate

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Soda ash is the active ingredient in washing soda. The chemical name for it is sodium carbonate , chemical formula Na 2 CO 3 . It is more basic, that is, less acidic, than sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), whose chemical formula is NaHCO 3 . The purpose of sodium carbonate is simply to increase pH. Hydration Some forms of soda ash (e.g. that labeled as 'washing soda') contain more water molecules than others, which makes them weigh more and be larger for a given number of sodium carbonate molecules - this means that you need to measure out a larger quantity of the hydrated form in order to get the same results. If you buy sodium carbonate without the extra water molecules, then store it for several years in humid conditions, it will absorb some water and appear to lose strength, when in fact it has merely 'bulked up' and needs to be used in larger volumes. The type of sodium carbonate used in washing soda is a decahydrate, so you need to use a lot more washin

Sodium Carbonate Poisoning

Definition This poisoning is from an overdose of sodium carbonate. Alternative Names Sal soda; Soda ash; Disodium salt; Caronic acid; Washing soda Poisonous Ingredient Sodium carbonate Where Found Automatic dishwashing soaps Some antacids Some bleaches Some bubble bath solutions Clinitest tablets Some steam iron cleaners Pulp and paper industries Glass manufacturers Note: This list is not all inclusive. Symptoms Body as a whole Severe pain in the mouth, throat, chest, or abdomen collapse Shock breathing deficulty Skin irritation Eyes, ears, nose, and throat Severe Pain in the throat Hoarseness Drooling Difficulty swallowing Eye irritation, redness, and pain Gastrointestinal Severe abdominal pain Vomiting Diarrhea Heart and blood vessels Low blood pressure may develop rapidly Home Treatment DO NOT make the person throw up. If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes. If the chemical was swallowed, i

Sodium Hydroxide

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What is sodium hydroxide? At room temperature, sodium hydroxide is a white crystalline odorless solid that absorbs moisture from the air. It is a manufactured substance. When dissolved in water or neutralized with acid it liberates substantial heat, which may be sufficient to ignite combustible materials. Sodium hydroxide is very corrosive. It is generally used as a solid or a 50% solution. Other common names include caustic soda and lye. Sodium hydroxide is used to manufacture soaps, rayon, paper, explosives, dyestuffs, and petroleum products. It is also used in processing cotton fabric, laundering and bleaching, metal cleaning and processing, oxide coating, electroplating, and electrolytic extracting. It is commonly present in commercial drain and oven cleaners. What happens to sodium hydroxide when it enters the environment? * Sodium hydroxide released to the atmosphere breaks down readily by reacting with other chemicals. * Sodium hydroxide separates in water to sodium cation

Fish Blood and Bone..All around fertilizer

This traditional and valued plant fertilizer has been used by generations of gardeners. Analysis- nitrogen 5, phosphorus 5, potassium 6.5. i.e. a balance of 3 major plant nutrients. Source - comes from rendering of surplus animal material. Recycling onto the garden is good organic practice. For a short discussion on related processing.. Application Rate - 2 - 4oz per square yard during soil preparation of new land before digging. Another 1oz per square yard over the seed bed prior to sowing will support seedling roots before they reach the main dose of plant fertilizer. Also try banding alongside new transplants. Release Rate - medium. It will last over an 8 month growing season. Decomposition can occur at different rates. Some soils hold nutrients better. Action On Plants - supplies an equally quantity of all major plant nutrients N P K. But plant uptake may be selective and as the season progresses nutrient availability may not match plant uptake. Greens may run short of nitrogen

Natural Fertilizers For Garden

If you want to increase the quality of the soil in your garden and provide better nutrients to the plants grown therein, making use of fertilizers is a good option. However, as far as possible, you should avoid the chemical fertilizers available in the market, mainly because of the reason that they comprises of lots of chemicals. In fact, natural fertilizers are the perfect option in such a scenario and you should stick to them to the extent possible. In case you want to know more about the best natural fertilizers for your garden, the information given below is sure to prove useful. Natural Fertilizers For Plants Grass Clippings/Mulch One of the most common natural fertilizers, grass clipping/ mulch is used to provide your garden plants with the much-needed nutrients. The best option would be to apply the clipping/mulch directly to the garden beds. However, before using this

HYDROCHLORIC ACID

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1.Identification Synonyms: Muriatic acid; hydrogen chloride, aqueous CAS No.: 7647-01-0 Molecular Weight: 36.46 Chemical Formula: HCl Product Codes: J.T. Baker: 5367, 5537, 5575, 5800, 5814, 5821, 5839, 5861, 5862, 5894, 5962, 5963, 5972, 5994, 6900, 7831, 9529, 9530, 9534, 9535, 9536, 9538, 9539, 9540, 9544, 9548, 9551 Mallinckrodt: 2062, 2515, 2612, 2624, 2626, 3861, 5583, 5587, H611, H613, H616, H987, H992, H999, V078, V628 2. Composition/Information on Ingredients Ingredient CAS No Percent Hazardous -------------------------

Sulphuric Acid

General Synonyms: oil of vitriol, mattling acid, vitriol, battery acid, dipping acid, electrolyte acid, vitriol brown oil, sulphuric acid Molecular formula: H 2 SO 4 CAS No: 7664-93-9 EC No: 231-639-5 EC index No: 016-020-00-8 Physical data Appearance: Colourless oily liquid Melting point: -2 C Boiling point: 327 C Specific gravity: 1.84 Vapour pressure: <0.3 mm Hg at 20 C (vapour density 3.4) Flash point: Explosion limits: Autoignition temperature: Water solubility: miscible in all proportions Stability Stable, but reacts with moisture very exothermically, which may enhance its ability to act as an oxidizing agent. Substances to be avoided include water, most common metals, organic materials, strong reducing agents, combustible materials, bases, oxidising agents. Reacts violently with water - when diluting concentrated acid, carefully and slowly add acid to water, not the reverse. Reaction with many metals is rapid or violent, and generates hydrogen (flammable, exp