Paramagnetic garden?
By Tugbrethil
Arizona, United States
Does anyone have experience with adding paramagnetic material to their garden to promote plant growth? I remember paramagnetism from my high school and college physics classes, but I never thought of it in terms of gardening until just a few days ago. Any info would be welcome.
- 5 Apr, 2021
Answers
I asked an internationally recognised expert on soils who happens to be in our local HPS group and he says he thinks it is not really the paramagnetism bit that makes the difference but the mineral content of the soil helping the balance of the soil.
similar principle to adding lime to acidic/neutral soils for healthier growth of some crops.
6 Apr, 2021
That's what the vendor info promises, Yorkslass. I did want to get info from people that I know and trust, too! :)
Sbg, that's my inclination, too, but some of the supporting experiments that I have read about had the paramagnetic material enclosed in waterproof plastic containers, and plant growth was still enhanced. Soo...there may be some evidence that there is a non-chemical factor at work.
One thing that I noticed in the accounts of the trials was that pH was not mentioned. If it is the mineral content at work, what would be the effects in an alkaline soil, such as we have here in the desert?
Many of the popular accounts also talk a lot about "energy" going to the roots of the plant and helping them grow. Having been educated in science, I am not a big fan of undefined "energy", and magnetic force is not, in and of itself, energy. Again, more info needed from trustworthy sources, such as your fellow HPS member, Sbg.
7 Apr, 2021
I have used rock dust which I think is paramagnetic. I made the mistake of scattering it along the drill when sowing parsnip seeds.. The plants liked it and showed their appreciation by growing horizontally along the drill instead of going vertically! So dig it in before sowing seed. I have done a comparison between two similar young pot plants (can't remember what they were now,)& the one with rock dust did grow larger than the other one. The annoying thing was that I could only buy a big bag of it so it should last a long time!
5 Apr, 2021