Can DE can be use as soil amendment? Can you just broadcast the DE?

Tree Dude

I would not put DE on my top ten list of soil ammendments.

What are you trying to accomplish?

Tony M

Tony: Do you know about the DE product Jay Mertz has at Rabbit Hill Farm. It is about the sieze of very small peebles. It goes out easily in a spreader. Jay also uses it in potting mixes to hold more moisture in the soil so the plants don't dry out as quickly.
Robert D Bard
"Dr Bob the Health Builder"

NO. I just bought a bag from him but it was the fine textured stuff I use in my feed. What kind was Tree Dude talking about?
Tony

Or, put DE in the soil. I was thinking if it helps animals and it does not harm them and it get rid of the pests and parasites, why not put the DE in the soil or even on pastures that the grazers would eat. Would this help any such as less parasites problems?
I don't have animals(except cats and a dog) and don't live on a farm (yet).What would happen if DE is in the soil?
After all, if you feed your cattles,horses,goats, or chickens with DE ,even in their feed, eventually some of the DE would come out of there bodies from their wastes anyways. Is that correct or incorrect?
And would this may help in the gardens(any type of garden)or in residental landscapes if you mix DE with compost,dry molasses and other "goodies"? Or would this not be necessary?
It would not hurt earthworms,true?

Tree Dude

I think it would hurt the earthworms. From my understanding if you were to look at D.E. under a microscope you would see that it has very sharp edges. This is how it helps with parasites. It make many very small cuts on the say intestinal worms and they die. So I would be afraid to broadcast it in a garden. I think it would do the same. Please let me know if I am way off base with this. I was wrong ONE TIME before......lol
I only use it on or around fire ant mounds and in my animals food.

Brad Watson
www.WatsonRanchOrganic.com

At a seminar I went to in 2001 in Arlington with Howard, Walt Davis, and 2 other holistic soil management guys, (if whose I names I could remember you would recognize!) they said to put DE on your grass seed to help it germinate faster and to add minerals to the soil. I coated my 400 lbs of grass seed with it before I put it down last weekend. I wore protection to keep from inhaling it when I mixed it up. It helps you to see where you already cast seed, also :

I've also heard from others that DE would kill your earth worms and have heard Howard say that it won't harm earth worms. When I doubt, I trust the doc.

We have been putting DE in our horses, cows, and
goats feed for 7 years. I am very liberal in the
amount I put in the feed with the idea that what is
not used by the animal will be deposited on the
ground to build the soil. The longer we non chemical
the more worms we have returning to the soil. In
normal non drought years a cow pile does not last
more than a week or two. I don't believe that DE
hurts worms and it is sure a lot easier putting it on
the land with animal waste than it is by hand.
Robert D Bard

Could it be that worms have no exoskeleton? Isn't that how DE kills insects-by destroying/harming their exoskeleton?
Patty