Expanded shale will not replace organic matter in soil, nothing will replace organic matter in soil. A good soil will consist of about 45 percent mineral (those particles that make a soil sandy, silt, or clay), 25 percent water, 25 percent air, and about 5 percent organic matter and all soils no matter what kind need that organic matter. Using gypsum to some clay soils to aid in opening them up works if you are in an arid area and your soil gets overdosed with salts because the lack of rainfall does not wash them out of the soil. Everywhere else the best thing to add to soil to make it better is organic matter.

That's the way I look at it. Advanced Nutrients doesn't want me to kill my garden. They want me to be wildly successful and believe that their products are a significant part of the reason I'm so successful. If all they wanted was a one-time sell they'd get Ron Popeil or whatever that guy's name is to hawk their stuff on an infomercial. "But wait! If you act now..." Nah, these guys want me coming back over and over so it's in their best interest to give the best advice they can. Capitalism at its finest. The more successful I am, the more I can afford to buy and the more successful they become. Right? And no, I'm not an employee of AN, just a fan. I kind of know a couple of the guys that work there via the Internet and phone (I email questions to one of their guru types and I've gotten on a first-name basis with some of their tech support phone guys), but I don't think they even have branch offices anywhere near where I live. Now if there's an employee discount or something... that'd be awesome. But it's just a personal thing with me, like how I'll recommend Simple Green to anyone who needs a good cleaner that isn't toxic. It's just something I've been so impressed by that I want to share my good experience with other people. As far as Simple Green goes, I don't use it in hydroponics - I prefer good old-fashioned bleach. But for pet cages or something like that, it's great. Oh, and it will clean a car engine like nothing I've ever seen.

Oh my, Allison I am sorry! I wondered how your DD2 became engaged and married so fast :-( I should have known you would at least have posted a dress issue or something on the conversations board with all that wedding talk! Very sorry for that misunderstanding. But initially the posts that crossed over to houzz were not dated, so I had no idea the thread was four years old. Now I see they are dated, although in the faintest possible ink color. (Houzz must have mostly 20 and 30 something users with better eyesight.) At any rate, the groom may not have been a keeper but the flowers were lovely!

This is the address for the latest newsletter. beverly Here is a link that might be useful: quilted paradise