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organic Organic Gardening - Dynamic Accumulators

In a few different threads the topic of mulching to provide a soil with everything it requires was brought up. 
When I first joined this forum there were a lot of posts discussing how to provide nutrition to a plant. There was a lot of conflicting information on the best growing media, nutrient ratios, nutrient lockout, nutrient burn, fixing yellowing of leaves etc etc. 
 
I started learning and practicing organic gardening because I didn't want to care about my NPK ratio or whether or not I needed molybdenum or not. I didn't want to measure the pH of my runoff or worry about the ppm of my water. I'm not saying that this is the best way but I really enjoy how simple it is and how all I need to do is mulch and water with plain water. It's "good enough" for this hobby grower. I also care about the environment and stay away from commercially processed products as much as possible
 
What are dynamic accumulators?
Dynamic accumulators are plants that gather certain micronutrients, macronutrients, or minerals and store them in their leaves. These plants can be used either for detoxifying soil or for gathering a certain nutrient or mineral from an area. For instance, clovers will mine great quantities of nitrogen out of the air via a symbiotic relationship with bacteria. These bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen into a form available to the clover, and exchange this nitrogen for exudates/sugars given by the clover. When the clover dies or is cut down, the green matter breaks down and releases the nitrogen into the soil.
 
These plants become rich in a certain substance and can then be cut down. This can be used as a fertilizer or as part of a fertilizer mix for other plants that may be deficient in those particular nutrients. The use of a nitrogen dynamic accumulator, such as a clover patch, could potentially replace nitrogen-rich fertilizers. These types of plants play an important role in many permaculture guilds.
 
Microbiologist Kristine Nichols of the University of Maryland showed that grasses like switchgrass, blue grama, Indian grass not only send down deep roots but increase glomalin levels and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi help "glue" the soil together, make it coherent, and shuttle biologically available nutrients from soil to plant. Some land reclamation companies are now using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and triticale to accomplish a similar end, and most likely Orchard grass (especially in combination with chicory and clover), and yacon, Jerusalem artichoke, chicory and many other plants will also eventually be shown to increase glomalin. Whatever that mysterious quality of "fertile" and "fertility" turns out to be in the soil, it must have something to do with these processes.
 
The plants with function as dynamic accumulators are often traditionally regarded as companion plants. In those cases, a plant such as yarrow or alfalfa growing near other plants, or in some cases being used as a green manure or cover crop, will show benefits to other plants due in part to the nutrients selected and exchanged. Among the accumulator plants of broadest nutrient variety are dandelion, plantains, watercress, comfrey, and kelp. Under good soil and growing conditions, certain plants may extract higher levels of nutrients than others, with consistency, although removing those nutrients from that soil can create a void in availability. Therefore, composts made with accumulator plants should also be reintroduced to those same growing areas upon compost completion. [Wikipedia]
 
So it's fairly simple - You grow the plant either as a companion plant or you grow it in the ground and either compost the vegetation or use it as a mulch for your plants. 
Comfrey is apparently the bees knees- it's roots go incredibly deep and it will mine nutrients from areas unavailable to other plants.
 
Growing a dynamic accumulator plant in a pot is probably pointless, unless if you're using it as a nitrogen fixing companion plant
Below is a picture listing many dynamic accumulators and what they accumulate. I fact checked a lot of these as it not cited and just someone's drawing but everything I researched showed it to be correct
 
722c32ce058a93cbefc09470e6847323.jpg
 
http://theorchardhousepcdesign.pbworks.com/f/Dynamic+Accumulators.doc
 
Alfalfa: N, Fe 
Apples: K 
Arrowroot: Ca 
Azolla: N 
Bamboo: SiO2 
Basswood: P, Ca, Mg 
Beeches: K 
Beeches, European: K, Ca 
Birches: P 
Birch, black: K, P, Ca 
Bladderwreck: I, Mg, Fe 
Borage: SiO2, K 
Bracken, Eastern: K, P, Mn, Fe, Cu, Co 
Brassicas, perennial: P, S 
Bridal Bauer: P 
Buckwheat: P 
Burdock: Fe 
Cabbage: B, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, N, K, S, Zn 
Calamus: N, K, P 
Caragreen: Na, N, Ca 
Carraway: P 
Carrot leaves: Mg, K 
Cattail: N 
Chamomile, corn: Ca, K 
Chamomile, German: Ca, K, P 
Chickweed, common: K, P, Mn 
Chicory: Ca, K 
Chives: Ca, Na 
Cleavers: Na, Ca 
Clovers: N, P 
Coltsfoot: S, Mg, Ca, K, Fe, Cu 
Comfrey: SiO2, N, Mg, Ca, K, Fe 
Corn: K 
Cornflower: P 
Dandelion: Na, SiO2, Mg, Ca, K, P, Fe, Cu 
Devil's Bit: I, Mg, Fe 
Docks: Ca, K, P, Fe 
Dogwood, flowering: K, P, Ca 
Dulse: Na, I, Mg, Ca, Fe 
Eyebright: S, K 
Fat hen: Ca, Fe 
Fennel: S, K, Na 
Flax, seed: Ca 
Garlic: F, S, P 
Grasses: N, SiO2 
Groundsel: Fe 
Hickory: K, Ca 
Hickory, shagbark: K, P, Ca 
Horsetails: SiO2, Mg, Ca, Fe, Co 
Iceland Moss: I 
Kelp: Na, I, N, Mg, Ca, Fe 
Lamb's Quarter: N, Ca, K, P, Mn 
Legumes: N 
Licorices: P, N2 
Linden: P, Ca 
Lemon Balm: P 
Locust, black: K, Ca, N2 
Lupine: N, P 
Maples: K 
Maple, sugar: K, Ca 
Marigold, flowers: P 
Meadow Sweet: Na, S, Mg, Ca, P, Fe 
Mistletoe: Mg 
Mullein, common: S, Mg, K, Fe 
Mustards: S, P 
Nettle, stinging: Na, S, N, Ca, K, Fe, Cu 
Oak, bark: K 
Oak, leaves: Ca 
Oak, straw: SiO2 
Oak, white: P 
Parsley: Mg, Ca, K, Fe 
Pecan: K, Ca 
Pennycress: Zn 
Peppermint: Mg, K 
Pigweed, red root: Ca, K, P, Fe 
Plantains: SiO2, S, Ca, K, Fe, Cu 
Primrose: Mg 
Pumpkin: K 
Purslane: Ca, P, Fe 
Rattan Palms: S, K, P 
Salad burnet: Fe 
Sanicle: K 
Sarsaparilla: I 
Savory: P 
Scarlet pimpernel: Ca 
Sheperd's purse: Na, S, Ca 
Silverweed: K, Ca, Cu 
Skunk Cabbage: Mg 
Sorghum: K 
Sorrel: Na, Ca, P 
Sow thistle: Mg, K, Cu 
Spurges: B 
Squash: K 
Strawberry leaves: Fe 
Sugarcane: K 
Sunflower: P 
Tansy: K 
Thistle, Canada: Fe 
Thislte, creeping: Ca, K, Fe 
Thistle, nodding: Fe 
Thistle, Russian: Fe 
Toadflax: Mg, Ca, Fe 
Tobacco, stems/stalk: N 
Two-grooved Milk Vetch: Se 
Valerian: SiO2 
Vetches: N, K, P, Cu, Co 
Violets: P 
Walnut: K, P 
Walnut, black: K, P, Ca 
Water Hyacinth: Cu 
Watercress: Na, F, S, Mg, Ca, K, P, Fe 
Willow, bark: Mg 
Willow, black: Na 
Wintergreen: Mg 
Yarrow: N, K, P, Cu 
 
B- Boron 
Ca- Calcium 
Co- Cobalt 
Cr- Chromium 
Cu- Copper 
F- Fluorine 
Fe- Iron 
I- Iodine 
K- Potassium 
Mg- Magnesium 
Mn- Manganese 
Na- Sodium 
P- Phosphorous 
S- Sulfur 
Se- Selenium 
SiO2- Silica 
Zn- Zinc
 
I use permaculture practices in my garden and have prepared my pepper plant beds with Dutch White Clover (nitrogen fixer), stinging nettle (nitrogen, micronutes) and comfrey (dynamic accumulator). My beds are healthy and rich and my pepper plants seem quite happy to live there.

I chop the Clover, nettle and comfrey regularly and let the cuttings decompose in the beds as a mulch and slow-release fertilizer.
 
jblo said:
I use permaculture practices in my garden and have prepared my pepper plant beds with Dutch White Clover (nitrogen fixer), stinging nettle (nitrogen, micronutes) and comfrey (dynamic accumulator). My beds are healthy and rich and my pepper plants seem quite happy to live there.

I chop the Clover, nettle and comfrey regularly and let the cuttings decompose in the beds as a mulch and slow-release fertilizer.
 
That's really awesome, I want to get to the point where I can have an easy "system" that requires no-brains. Dandelion grows everywhere and I love that I can just pick some out in the street and it gives my soil what it needs
 
I don't stress about dandilions. Their deep tap root is a source of calcium and other micronutes for the soil. Plus they leaves are super-healthy in you're cool eating them.
 
So... How does one incorporate enough biomass into a garden to eliminate the need for supplemental feeding? And how long does it take to effectively implement a self-sufficient forest garden?
 
solid7 said:
So... How does one incorporate enough biomass into a garden to eliminate the need for supplemental feeding? And how long does it take to effectively implement a self-sufficient forest garden?
 
I have no experience here so I won't be able to comment on it however online I've read that 2-3 inches of uncompressed mulch is a good amount
If you want true self-sufficiency I don't think that it goes hand in hand with farming that well. I still would imagine that you'd have to trim plants including the cover & companion plants
 
A hard and fast number is impossible but if it's a garden then I'd say 5 years is possible. If you're container gardening then I don't see any reason why it won't work from day 0
 
While it would be AWESOME, most people don't want a literal old growth forest for a back garden so this methodology takes a lot of supplemented effort from foraging, cutting and moving etc to keep it flowing...
 
Powelly said:
I have no experience here so I won't be able to comment on it however online I've read that 2-3 inches of uncompressed mulch is a good amount
If you want true self-sufficiency I don't think that it goes hand in hand with farming that well. I still would imagine that you'd have to trim plants including the cover & companion plants
 
A hard and fast number is impossible but if it's a garden then I'd say 5 years is possible. If you're container gardening then I don't see any reason why it won't work from day 0
I'm not trying to pin you down, but to lead your discussion into alternative methods.
.
If you don't have the space or the time for these methods, any of the plants you listed can be used well for teas.
.
I live in an area that has difficulty growing at least half of the plants on your list. IF I want to grow them, it's usually in containers, in the shade. Even then, my yields are low. So, often, I'll grow a small amount, and then make a fermented tea. It maximizes the plant resources. (allows me to dose, rather than mulch)
 
I keep a large bag of alfalfa seed, as this not only grows supplemental food for my rabbits, but also makes one of THE very best cover crops. Even if you can't use it as green manure (mulch), you can put up alfalfa for mulch later, and you can also make a quick shot nitrogen fertilizer.
 
This is a great post. The whole concept of companion gardening - both for nutrients to my intentionally grown plants and protection against pests - is something I've tried to make work over the years. I have purple comfrey I use to speed up compost decay, as well as plantings all over of borage, calendula, parsely, mint...garlic...dill is awesome for attracting beneficial insects.
 
At any rate, cover crops are something I have yet to use, but really want to see the magnitude of the difference they make. I'm a believer that these plantings - even the birds and other wildlife that's attracted - has contributed to the successes I've had and exposed some failures. I definitely need to brush up on the scientific element of what I'm planting.
 
I should look into some Bladerwack, Devil's Bit, and Colt's Foot :party:
 
solid7 said:
I'm not trying to pin you down, but to lead your discussion into alternative methods.
.
If you don't have the space or the time for these methods, any of the plants you listed can be used well for teas.
.
I live in an area that has difficulty growing at least half of the plants on your list. IF I want to grow them, it's usually in containers, in the shade. Even then, my yields are low. So, often, I'll grow a small amount, and then make a fermented tea. It maximizes the plant resources. (allows me to dose, rather than mulch)
 
 
solid7 said:
I keep a large bag of alfalfa seed, as this not only grows supplemental food for my rabbits, but also makes one of THE very best cover crops. Even if you can't use it as green manure (mulch), you can put up alfalfa for mulch later, and you can also make a quick shot nitrogen fertilizer.
 
I just go foraging as I only have a balcony. I usually pick dandelion from the car park
Yes Alfalfa is very good and the seeds have an incredibly high triacontanol level in them. Simply sprout them so the taproot appears then blend them and throw them on. Triacontanol reduces node space massively and you have to be careful with it otherwise you can get mutant plants
 
For similar reasons I also top dress with malted barley however it's out of scope for this thread which is about accumulators
 
This season, I just picked up Stinging Nettles, Purslane, Lavendar, Fenugreek, and Bloody Dock. Will be making my own supplemental fertilizers, in addition to the rabbit poo and sargassum that I made last season, and the fish fertilizer that I made during the hurricane aftermath in October.
 
One thing that is also overlooked, is that you get a great deal of what you put into a plant, back out of it. To that end, every serious organic gardener should be composting their culled stock. Here you can see the remnants of my 1st tomato crop of the season, along with some other herbs.

33408793153_b0fb4db523_z.jpg


Recycle what you grow. You put the nutrients into that plant - part of them go into fruit, but a whole lot of them go into growing a plant. Put them back to work!
 
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Yes, in the same way that composting with kitchen scraps will get you nowhere fast
Composting with dynamic accumulators is required to create a premium compost
 
I always place the sticks and leaves in the bottom of the pot after trimming
 
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