N-Viro Soil and Spreader to use

Just curious if anyone uses this product and what your thoughts are. PLEASE, no comments about the negatives of Milorganite...THIS IS NOT Milorganite so I don't want to hear about the pros and cons of Milorganite. Rather, I'd like to hear about the pros and cons of NVS.

It sells for about $25 per ton and two tons per acre will get you a N-P-K of 40 lbs, 20 lbs, 20 lbs, respectively.

Last, since this is an implement board I'd like to know what you would recommend to spread this stuff. It has the look and consistency of soil (dirt). With two tons per acres needed (minimum) I think a 500lb rotary spreader on the back of the tractor would make this a miserable job. I've heard that this stuff stinks...it smells like ammonia and the takes two days for the air to clear.

But with the regular dry fertilizer you would only have to spread about 140 pounds of material per acre to get the same 40-20-20.

What is the carrier or rest of the 4000 pounds to the acre you are spreading? Is it organic matter?

Sounds like you are handling a bunch of pounds of stuff that has little or no value and paying about the same money as regular fertilizer.

Gary

Here are the standard fertilizers stocked down here in Orlando:

16-4-8 3% Iron $420/ton - $52.50/acre @ 40lbs N/acre
24-5-11 6% Iron $590/ton - $49.17/acre @ 40lbs N/acre

By the way, I was looking at the comparison of the heavy metal content of both NVS and commercial synthetic fertilizer and the number appear to be very similar. The NVS is lower than the commercial fertilizer for most of the heavy metals. In any case both fertilizers are well below the EQS limits per the EPA.

This is what is advertised:

Nitrogen 20 lbs/ton
Phosphorous 10/lbs/ton
Potassium 10 lbs/ton
Magnesium 8 lbs/ton
Sulfer 20 lbs/ton
Calcium 490 lbs/ton
Micronutrients

Alternative to having to add Dolomite/Lime because this material contains lime dust from Fly-Ash. Thus, it is a low cost alternative to having to add Dolomite. It has half the liming capacity of pure limestone.

The solids content is 65% (I assume there is a certain percent of water per ton) with the balance of the material not listed at the top being organic matter (500 lbs/ton)

Last, it has a moisture rentention of 45-75%. NVS has the consistency of high organic soil which is probably good down here in Florida since our soils tend to be VERY sandy.

Sounds like it is a bunch of organic matter from waste treatment plants. Which may be fine.

One thing to watch out for is make up of the organic matter.

Example- There is a cardboard recylcing plant near here. After 4 turns as cardboard it is no longer usable as cardboard. So they will give it to farmers for free,as organic matter. They even will spread it for free.

But it's makeup will tie up the nitrogen in the soil and not release it to the plants. So in return they will also pay for 100 units of Nitrogen to apply with it.

All sounds good to here, buuuttt it alos ties up the nitrogen for future years and there done with you after the first year.

Lets see they spread for free and give you the Nitrogen to get rid of their old cardboard.

The real kicker is the fellow they have hired to haul the stuff to your farm and spread it also farms.

And he will not spread it on his own farm!

What does that tell you.

Just some food for thought.

Gary