Soft Rock Phosphate
A Quality Form of Phosphorus

Custom Search

Phosphorus is one of the three macronutrients that all plants need. They receive it in the form of phosphate. There are several ways to give your plants the phosphate they need. Soft rock phosphate is one method.

This form of phosphorus can be employed effectively in any soil type, and it's available to plants almost immediately. It doesn't lock up (become unavailable), and it holds an ample load of colloidal trace elements (a mixture with properties between those of a solution and a fine suspension).

Although it's a fast working phosphate, unlike manufactured phosphates, it can't dissolve in water, it doesn't leach out of the soil, and therefore lasts much longer than other types.

Where It Comes From

Soft rock phosphate is produced as a result of hard rock mining. But don't confuse it with hard rock phosphate, tennessee brown rock phosphate, or rock phosphate.

Using Soft Rock Phosphate

Factors that keep plants from using phosphorus include shortage of oxygen, not enough soil moisture, high temperatures and lack of organic materials.

These can all be alleviated by creating a garden with good soil tilth. Adding compost to your gardens will ensure that soils don't become waterlogged after heavy rains (which forces out oxygen), while keeping the moisture around for longer periods.

The increased organic matter in the soil will also help maintain even temperatures.

Since repeated use of soft rock phosphate can lead to excessive phosphorus in the garden, be sure to add lots of compost so that your plants have access to all the phosphorus they need without over-fertilizing.

The Importance of Phosphorus

If you've ever wondered just how important this element is, right-click to download this PDF, which details all the plant functions affected by element P.

From Soft Rock Phosphate to Organic Fertilizers home page