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<pre>My experience in using mill's vegetable water as a fertilizer is at the
moment positive.
I had notice about this new way of organic farming 3/4 years ago reading
the agrarian column in the florentine newspaper "La Nazione". It was said
that a similar test was made by many farmer in Toscana with good
improvements in both quantity of the fruits and quality of the oil. I
remember that it was emphasized that vegetable waters bring back the main
elements that the harvest withdraws from the plants (K and P plus organic
material). So I had a great mind to test myself too.
I tell you that In Italy the laws adjust this subject : it is allowed to
spread till 50 cubic metres for each hectare; waters must be stocked for non
longer than thirty days and must be spread in a uniform way. The soil must
be dry.
It is stricty forbidden to spread vegetables waters on grounds too near to
the town, on horticultural grounds
and above all on grounds near water-bearing stratum.
(more details on the italian link-
http://www.politicheagricole.it/MiPA.../Olio/961111-L
ege-574.htm ).
According to my experience it desn't help to prevent grass and herbaceous
plants from growing.
Regards
Antonio

From: "Sadoun" <ASadoun@worldnet.att.net>

We have spread the water between the olive trees right in the middle between
the trunks on a limited bases. We have noticed some improvement in the
yield. Another farmer nearby uses the olive vegetable water to spray
around his pomegranate trees and he noticed also improvements in the size
and quantity of the fruits.

Does anyone have a complete breakdown of the chemical composition of this
vegetable water? Which elements are harmful to the underground water or the
sewer system, and why?


From: Peter Warnock <c581927@showme.missouri.edu>

I've got some ethnographic and historical references to using the waste
water (lees or amurca) as fertilizer in the olive orchards. There is some
mention that it (like the solid wastes used as fertilizer as well) helps
prevent grass and herbaceous plants from growing.



> From: "Volker Piasta" <piasta@sirt.pisa.it>
>
> Antonio, I would like to know what is your experience with mill's
vegetable water as a fertilizer.
> Sadoun says that he has tried it successfully. Did you take any special
precaution (rainy period, quantity/hectare)? I understand you spread it
quite distant from the rows. Theoretically the water (and the more also the
waste from 2-phase mills) should be optimal because they bring back the main
elements that the harvest withdraws from the plants (K and P plus organic
material, especially in the latter case). The problem is that the extraction
process seems to create certain ferments that are toxic for the microflora
of the soil. I read a study that says that it takes about one year to make
the microflora return completely, but that there is no remaining damage. So
the overall performance should be positive, as Sadoun confirms. The problem
could be the underground water which could be polluted. Anyway I would like
to know which results have come out of studies of Glynn Skerratt.
</pre>
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