Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
Many soils are initially full of the minerals that fruiting plants employ. A full crop of fruit on a mature semi-dwarf tree (or banana) will contain about a pound of nitrogen and 1.5 pounds of potash. Eventually the resources in the soil will be exhausted -- unless you or your surroundings somehow replenish them.
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This is trivial to do organically without micromanaging, with the judicious use of compost - which is very friendly to the soil foodweb too. Nature brings in a lot as well, especially if you have an active ecosystem down there and a robust mycorrhizal fungal network.
Compost spent stems/leaves and mix them back into the mulch too. Growing legumes amongst the nanners and/or applying treats like rabbit pellets and whatnot can be an additional help.
Soluble ferts destroys these ecosystems and mycorrhizal networks and puts your plants at a disadvantage, unfortunately, and most of it leaches away without ever being incorporated, which means you have to use more than the plants will consume. In the end, you are basically practicing non-sustainable hydroponic cultivation in a very dead soil that depends on the ferts.
Be well,
Mike