Dynamic accumulator
Dynamic accumulators are plants that gather certain micronutrients, macronutrients, or minerals from the soil through their roots, as opposed to from the air, and store them in their leaves. These plants can be used either for detoxifying soil or for gathering a certain nutrient or mineral from an area. For instance, clovers will mine great quantities of nitrogen out of the air via a symbiotic relationship with bacteria. These bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen into a form available to the clover, and exchange this nitrogen for exudates/sugars given by the clover. These plants become rich in a certain substance and can then be cut down. Microbiologist Kristine Nicholas of the University of Maryland showed that grasses like switchgrass, blue grama, Indian grass not only send down deep roots but increase glomalin levels and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The plants with function as dynamic accumulators are often traditionally regarded as companion plants. See also[edit] References[edit]
You can't have your cover crop and eat it too
You can't have your cover crop and eat it too By Drew LyonExtension dryland cropping systems specialist and Paul Burgener,ag economics research analyst University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center Cover crops are getting a good deal of attention in the media and at various educational events this season. Frequently mentioned benefits include improved soil quality (such as increased soil organic matter, improved water infiltration, and reduced soil erosion), reduced need for external inputs such as nitrogen fertilizer and herbicides, and providing grazing opportunities for livestock. This last benefit does not strictly fit with the definition of cover crops. It may be feasible to manage a forage crop to get some of the benefits of a cover crop--for example, by grazing less intensely or swathing at a greater height above the ground. The question arises: How do you value a cover crop?
The Wonderful Multi-Purpose Comfrey Plant Permaculture Courses, Information, Forums, News
Comfrey (Symphytum spp.) has been cultivated and valued by many cultures for almost 2500 years. A native to Europe and Asia, the comfrey plant with which most are familiar, Symphytum officinale, has been used as a blood coagulant, a treatment for maladies of the lung, and as a poultice to aid in the healing of wounds and broken bones. Consumed as a tea, comfrey is said to treat a variety of internal ailments by various folk medicine traditions. The word comfrey is Latin in origin and means "to grow together”. Though research has recently linked the consumption of comfrey with liver damage in mice, thus halting the development of comfrey as a modern food crop, the plant was once widely grown for its medicinal, food and forage value. Today it is still valued for its use in salves and other topical skin preparations and for its use as animal fodder and fertilizer. Comfrey is hardy from zones 4 – 9, and will grow in full or partial sun.
What is Comfrey Herb Good For? History of Use - Herbal Encyclopedia
Bee pollinating a Comfrey leaf flower Botanical Name Family BoraginaceaeSymphytum officinale Common Names Ass Ear, Black Root, Blackwort, Boneset, Bruisewort, Consound, Gum Plant, Healing Herb, Knitback, Knitbone, Salsify, Slippery Root, WallwortSpanish: Sueldo, Consueldo, Cardo Santo Cautions Do not use comfrey on dirty wounds as rapid healing can trap the dirt or pus. The use of comfrey is restricted in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Germany because of the toxic alkaloids, mainly pyrrolizidine. Two species, S. asperum (prickly comfrey) and S. uplandicum (Russian comfrey) contain very high levels of echimidine, one of the more potent alkaloids. Description Indigenous to Europe, comfrey now grows in all temperate regions of the world, including western Asia, North America, and Australia. History Long used to heal wounds, the comfrey leaves and roots have been used to cure ailments ranging from stubborn leg ulcers to broken bones, and hence its common name of “boneset” or “knitbone”.
