A Quick Question?

[Deleted]

On our property (almost 7 acres), we have about 2 acres in the very back that is wooded, mostly pines mixed with some hardwoods. I was thinkin' if I rake the top layer of straw and leaves back (which is gonna be used as mulch), scoop out that beautiful black humus underneath, and bring it up front to the garden area and mix it with the composted manure we've got layered. Would that maybe give us a jump start on getting some decent soil instead of sand? I ain't dumb, just ignerant!
We wanna have a garden spot come spring that just might grow some vittles for us - sitting here on a big ol' sack of seed waiting impatiently

[chickenfarmer]

Sounds like humus to me, that makes great soil ammendments

[jack]

Gidday

Go for it Old Bear. It should be real good. Of course, if you want an easier way you could set up some straw bales to garden in.

[Talks With Beagles]

oneoldbear: What you will be doing is robbing from Peter to pay Paul. Sure the soil will be good for your garden, but at the expense of your forest. Forest soil is usually not all that fertile because most of the nutrients are tied up in the trees. If you have black dirt in your woods, it probably took centuries to build up. When you scrape it away you will likely find that it isn't all that deep, and you will be exposing the subsoil, which doesn't hold moisture as well. You will also be exposing tree roots, which won't do the trees any good either. The most sensitive are the oaks, and they are the trees that take the longest to grow.

If you plan to clear cut the woods anyway, I suppose it doesn't matter, but if you want to keep your trees healthy, you shouldn't be scraping, or even raking the soil around them. I don't even burn brush on my property. What ever I don't take for firewood, I leave right there to compost in place. If it's in the way, I shove it aside, but I don't gather it up and burn it.

Gardening is a relatively short cycle use of land. Forestry is more long cycle. With gardening you are in it for your immediate family, but with forestry you are in it for your grandchildren, or somebody else's grandchildren. There are lots of things you can do for your garden that won't impact your woods so much. If you need the land for some other pupose, so be it; but if those trees aren't in your way you shouldn't go out of your way to damage them.

[Deleted]

Good point there, TalkswithBeagles!

[trudy]

OOB, here while back I road out on the road past that convience store heading home. Instead of making my turn to go to Butler I went straight. I few miles out I saw a small farm next to the highway that had I think horses (not sure), on the left, anyway their fenced in area looked like it could use some cleaning up (lots of poo). I have been tempted to stop by there and see if I could get some but haven't had the time. I'm thinking if you could get a good load of that and mix it in with your existing garden spot it could possibly be ready come planting time. At least it would be a start. Then while the growing season is going get your compost bins ready and have some compost ready as u need it.

Oh and also be getting leaves gathered from neighbors to add to the mix. Someone you may be interested in see his garden is a couple that are 6 miles before u get to Butler. They are on the left just before a bridge. He has hauled in a truckload of leaves for his garden. This guy told me he never even waters, a very interesting couple to talk to. And terrific gardeners. trudy

[crazy1]

T. But remeber one thing OOB. If you add the horse manure PLEASE!!!!!! let it sit for a good 6 mos. As to adding it the pile, you could get nothing better to cook it up. Horse manure is the hottest composting manure there is. Good luck and mind what T says, shes a great gardener.

Oh yeah she's also real good at spotin the good stuff.

[trudy]

Well C if he gets some now, it'll be about May/June when its ready to use which is about the right time to really get into planting his summer garden and surely there won't be another frost at that time. Another thought is if you were to go ahead and incorporate it and the leaves in the garden you may can take some plastic and cover it up. As it heats up under the plastic it should cook as well as cook the weed seeds. My mother was a firm believer in using the dried manure, she preferred cow instead of horse. She would go ahead and put it where ever she wanted it, mixing it in the soil as she went. Didn't compost nothing back then and had no ill effects. She always told me to not use the wet fresh stuff cause it would burn the roots and by using the dried patties it was ready to use. I never questioned her gardening know how. She always had pretty flowers and Dads veggies were alway plentiful and healthy. trudy

[Compost Pharmer]

That's right. never use fresh manure. It will burn the roots. I am trying to find a horse or cattle farm to get a truck load of manure. I want to add it to the compost. Over winter it should get good and hot. Last winter, my compost stack looked like steam coming out on cold days. Looked like there was wood burning stove deep down in the pile.

Since it was such a nice warm day today (76F) I turned my compost. It was good and wet so it turned easy.

[trudy]

It was nice today, 76 here also. I finished watering the garden that I couldn't finish yesterday. My compost pile isn't that hot, so I need to take my own advise here and get some manure in there. But my finished pile looks great. trudy

[Deleted]

Yep T - my Dad was also a firm believer in manure and always letting the fresh stuff age.
He once planted cukes in a bushel basket of cow compost - had to carry 'em like stove wood inta da house! (but they were sure good!)