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Post by Tonnymonk on Apr 7, 2014 17:38:41 GMT -6
I have read through, and I know a lot of you prefer organic amendments. I am starting a new garden area in my back yard this year and am wondering what would be best for making my loamy sand(I think) more beneficial to my plants. I have used commercial "Garden Soil" with plant food added in past years with great luck as I am not totally organic. I did the price comparison and it is basically the same price to do topsoil and composted cow manure. Either way I will be mulching with leaves and straw to hold in moisture, but is there a better way out of these two. I tend to be a "lazy" gardener as far as soil testing and all, but I do "feed" when I feel they need it, but easier is better since my back surgery(I don't do well with a lot of bending/stooping)Which one will be more worry free style or are they the same?
Thanks in advance you all! It sure is great to be back with you all and be able to share in the wealth of knowledge that is Pharmer Phil's!! tky
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Post by Pharmer Phil on Apr 8, 2014 5:24:56 GMT -6
I have read through, and I know a lot of you prefer organic amendments. I am starting a new garden area in my back yard this year and am wondering what would be best for making my loamy sand(I think) more beneficial to my plants. I have used commercial "Garden Soil" with plant food added in past years with great luck as I am not totally organic. I did the price comparison and it is basically the same price to do topsoil and composted cow manure. Either way I will be mulching with leaves and straw to hold in moisture, but is there a better way out of these two. I tend to be a "lazy" gardener as far as soil testing and all, but I do "feed" when I feel they need it, but easier is better since my back surgery(I don't do well with a lot of bending/stooping)Which one will be more worry free style or are they the same? Thanks in advance you all! It sure is great to be back with you all and be able to share in the wealth of knowledge that is Pharmer Phil's!! tky Tonya..it doesn't matter what type of gardening you do...gardening is all that matters..I can say that IMO..Organic gardening ....is tougher.. at least if you do it from scratch like we do, compost, turn your compost by hand..drag around buckets of organic "concoctions" handpick bugs (when possible)...etc. Fortunately today there are lots of organic amendments available//they are just a bit pricey on a large scale.. But for a smaller garden...the cost isn't bad.. however; for pholks like Us..just too expensive well for instance.. Straw for mulch: a flyer I get from the Sustainable Ag. group.. a plant store in the cities wanted 600 bales of ORGANIC Straw they said THEY WOULD PAY..6 Bucks a bale.. dtb Now, I don't know what they charge for it..maybe 8-10 bucks?? But when you figure .. One bale would do most of these smaller urban gardens..then it's eight-ten bucks.. But..we use between 20 or 25..so..not for Us Manure ...Availble, Convenient and damn good...CHEAP ENOUGH for even LARGE SCALE gardening.... we use a Omri approved organic Chicken manure fertilzer for prepping areas and at plant set out.. It most likely can be found in your area.. try this link and see if they have it in your area www.chickitydoodoo.comwhen it comes to your back problems..it's going to be a good thing to have your soil a bit sandy..even with a new tiller..clay..or heavy soils work a back hard... but it sounds like: You said.. (sand I think) it's still a question of soil type.. Now this link. may LOOK baffling at first..but READ down..there are several tests here that are super easy to do agree easiest is the "feel" test says you are dealing with Sandy soil.. here's some good advice..and I quote:
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Post by Tonnymonk on Apr 8, 2014 6:41:04 GMT -6
Yeah, at most, mine will probably be 20x20, so straw will not be all that expensive for me to do. Can I use pine straw? if so, I have TONS of that for free in the yard lol and leaves- I could probably mulch YOUR garden with leaves lol We raked until I was sick of even going outside this fall... I think what I will do is add topsoil and composted manure this year and if that doesn't work, I will try the garden soil next year. I just LOVE the link name lol I will check out this as well agree Thanks Phil!
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Post by jerseycub on Apr 8, 2014 7:47:01 GMT -6
I really can't add much to what Phil has said here except to say. Try using a cover crop at the end of the season,such as winter Rye or clover and hairy vetch mix. then you can turn that under for green manure,keeping a healthy level of organic matter helps the plants uptake of nutrients.
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Post by Tonnymonk on Apr 8, 2014 8:11:24 GMT -6
Will do JC! With a small garden, I would have never thought of a cover crop. agree I honestly thought those were more for commercial growers to give their fields a "rest" from corn or peanuts or whatever... I'll have to do some searching for what would be good here, I don't think clover is a good idea with the deer and rabbit population here, don't want to lure them into the garden area lol
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Post by BestoFour on Apr 8, 2014 13:55:10 GMT -6
JC I'm in zone 7b. I planted a cover crop one year, red clover and winter rye and it didn't die back like I was told it would. It was going strong the middle of May. I turned some of it under myself with a shovel. Had someone else turn the garden with a tractor. Then Johnny tillered it. I still have red clover in spots. So Tonya, check and recheck what cover crop will work in your area. The friend who gave me the red cover seeds actually just tillered rows through the red clover, planted, and just kept trying to keep the clover out of her veges for that summer.
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Post by Tonnymonk on Apr 8, 2014 14:58:20 GMT -6
Good to know Sheri!
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Post by jerseycub on Apr 9, 2014 8:56:11 GMT -6
JC I'm in zone 7b. I planted a cover crop one year, red clover and winter rye and it didn't die back like I was told it would. It was going strong the middle of May. I turned some of it under myself with a shovel. Had someone else turn the garden with a tractor. Then Johnny tillered it. I still have red clover in spots. So Tonya, check and recheck what cover crop will work in your area. The friend who gave me the red cover seeds actually just tillered rows through the red clover, planted, and just kept trying to keep the clover out of her veges for that summer. The whole Idea behind a cover crop is to add green manure to the soil and to also add organic matter to the soil as I stated earlier.Some crops will reappear at times but it is still good organic matter to return to the soil...that's not to say you have to us this process for a small garden,although it is a proven method of organic matter. I use various cover crops from season to season to gain different results,and in most cases I have to mow or cut the grasses and then till them under,it's a process were you gain improvement in the soil after each season...not an instant result,but a life long improvement in the soil. Fertilizers dissipate into the subsoil and loose potency in a short period of time,organics continue to feed the soil and the root systems help to loosen the subsoil's depending on the species of crop that you use.By the way cultivating your crops is good exercise Ruth and I have been doing it for years on 3/4 of an acre,hasn't killed us yet hpltr
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Post by BestoFour on Apr 9, 2014 15:29:04 GMT -6
Then I've done just that jc because that clover just keeps on giving. hpltr I noticed it popping up out there today where I've got the strawberries planted. My friend and I have often wondered if we planted the wrong cover crop for our area but neither of us has ever researched it.
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Post by jerseycub on Apr 10, 2014 6:53:49 GMT -6
Then I've done just that jc because that clover just keeps on giving. hpltr I noticed it popping up out there today where I've got the strawberries planted. My friend and I have often wondered if we planted the wrong cover crop for our area but neither of us has ever researched it. Strawberries and clover seam to like one another and that is good because clover is a good nitrogen source. Your seed distributor should be able to tell you what cover crops are suited for your area,also your county agent can help.
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