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Misinformed folks start throwing rock salt, table salt, ice cream salt and high salt fertilizers out to try to prevent slipping on ice. These techniques and products are bad. They are bad for the soil, bad for the plants, bad for the water and bad for the environment in general.
Here in Texas, concrete sand is primarily used by the Texas Highway Department and seems to do a good job on highways and is non-polluting. Some work has been done in Texas and other states with magnesium products and other relatively non-toxic choices. What we recommend for home and commercial office building use is lava sand or granite sand.
Other effective products include alfalfa meal (a natural fertilizer), wood ashes (for acid soil areas), coal cinders and zeolite. These materials are not only non-toxic, but they are also good for the soil and the plants as they are washed or swept from the paving into lawns, right of ways and other planting areas. Sure, the sand products can be tracked inside, but so can the salts and toxic products. Give it a try - it works very well.
Here’s a shot of my post office showing the wrong method - salt.
To discuss this newsletter or any other topic, tune in each Sunday 8am - 11am central time to the Dirt Doctor Radio Show.The call-in phone number is 1-866-444-3478. Listen on the internet or click here to find a station in your area.
Please share this newsletter with everyone in your address book and all your friends on Facebook and Twitter to help me spread the word on organics.
Icy Roads & Walkways Newsletter
Icy Roads & Walkways
Misinformed folks start throwing rock salt, table salt, ice cream salt and high salt fertilizers out to try to prevent slipping on ice. These techniques and products are bad. They are bad for the soil, bad for the plants, bad for the water and bad for the environment in general.
Here in Texas, concrete sand is primarily used by the Texas Highway Department and seems to do a good job on highways and is non-polluting. Some work has been done in Texas and other states with magnesium products and other relatively non-toxic choices. What we recommend for home and commercial office building use is lava sand or granite sand.
Lava Sand
Other effective products include alfalfa meal (a natural fertilizer), wood ashes (for acid soil areas), coal cinders and zeolite. These materials are not only non-toxic, but they are also good for the soil and the plants as they are washed or swept from the paving into lawns, right of ways and other planting areas. Sure, the sand products can be tracked inside, but so can the salts and toxic products. Give it a try - it works very well.
Here’s a shot of my post office showing the wrong method - salt.
To discuss this newsletter or any other topic, tune in each Sunday 8am - 11am central time to the Dirt Doctor Radio Show.The call-in phone number is 1-866-444-3478. Listen on the internet or click here to find a station in your area.
Please share this newsletter with everyone in your address book and all your friends on Facebook and Twitter to help me spread the word on organics.
Naturally yours,
Howard Garrett
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