New product by RichGro............. do NOT be fooled read you labels. 

​I was really pleased to do a group talk yesterday on one of my favourite topics, soil. In the talk I mentioned  Rock Dust and this morning the convener of the group sent me a facebook message and brought my attention to a new product on the hardware shelves by Rich Gro which they highlight the fact it contains Rock Mineral and at a cheap price. Let’s examine it.
First thing which springs out at me is that it has an N:P ratio. As I bang on about N:P ratios we all know that the nitrogen and potassium and potash they put in commercially made fertilisers, well it is after all there business and where they make there money from, is sodium based and sodium by osmosis kills you soil bacteria and fungi. If you compare the formulation of what I sell on site and is in the new product there is no comparison. They have forgotten some e.g.: no cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, zinc and that is from a base listing of what should be in Rock Dust.  and what is accepted as a good ratio is not present either.  
The application rate of this cheaper rock dust far exceeds any recommendations for true rock dust. Not only on single application but repeat applications.
How it contains beneficial microbes is beyond me what you have is a rock dust, there is no mention of any organic matter in this product which is the only place you will find microbes, good, bad or indifferent. On the application they say “one adult handful is approximately 50 gms”… to the best of my knowledge it is a small handful, so why exaggerate the size. Well while a little will make things better more will make them bettera?? Or is it that the product runs out more quickly and needs replacing more quickly. Or maybe the product is not as good as it should be, but we can cover that up by making you put on more? The re-application rate to the packaging is in weeks. A good rock Dust is, initial application followed up 2 years later and then 5 years.
Good try Rich Gro but you have not fooled me and those that listen  to me. 
Here I have written more information on Rock Dusts for more information 
For those of you who are local and would like some email me and I will supply . Susan