Soil Prep for Vegetable Gardens
Mjrada
Next year I'd like to expand it to corn, beans, peas, tomatoes, herbs, peppers
and maybe radishes. I'm guessing that one of the biggest problems with this
year's garden was the soil. This was my first attempt and all I did was work
the ground and add some humus.. no manure, or other fertilizers.
I'd like to see your advice on how you prep your soil and what mid-season
things you do. I've already created a compost can with some leaves and grass
clippings that should be good by next spring.
Any and all help is appreciated.
Thanks
Mike (near Chicago)
Sterling Hill
> My vegetable garden did so-so this year, mostly corn, tomatoes and eggplant.
I, also, am in the learning phase. I bought a soil test kit at Home
Depot and checked various areas around my house. The ph differed by 2 -
3 points but the nitrogen test was a real eye-opener. The test tube
color should have been pale to hot pink but was almost clear! Low to
medium on the potassium and phosphorus tests in all areas tested, but
almost no nitrogen anywhere! No wonder my peppers were stunted and my
cucumbers were short. It is amazing anything grew. The grass needs a big
dose also.
This is a 30 year old home with red clay base, 4" top soil and grass
that has not been fertilized in several years. I tilled up a grassy area
for my garden, and added some composted pine needles from the "pine
island" in the front yard. Added Dynamite fertilizer. Thought that would
be enough. I am studying the books - and this newsgroup - and getting
ready for next season! Even started a composter...
Best luck - and TEST your soil!
Sterling
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Glen Duff
nitrogen extracting solution for freshness. You may have a very old, weakened
hydrochloric acid.
Sharon
Sterling Hill
>
> If every test comes up low, it may be the test and not the soil. Check the
> nitrogen extracting solution for freshness. You may have a very old, weakened
> hydrochloric acid.
>
> Sharon
How can you tell? - the printed material inside is marked 1998 but there
is no dating on the foil-vacuumed tablets...
Thanks,
C. A. Owens
Mjrada wrote:
>
> My vegetable garden did so-so this year, mostly corn, tomatoes and eggplant.
> Next year I'd like to expand it to corn, beans, peas, tomatoes, herbs, peppers
> and maybe radishes. I'm guessing that one of the biggest problems with this
> year's garden was the soil. This was my first attempt and all I did was work
> the ground and add some humus.. no manure, or other fertilizers.
>
> I'd like to see your advice on how you prep your soil and what mid-season
> things you do. I've already created a compost can with some leaves and grass
> clippings that should be good by next spring.
Fall: Raw organic matter [shredded paper, yard debris, leaves -- no
manure] is tilled into the soil. Soil is tilled every two weeks or so
thereafter until the ground freezes. Beds are then covered with
shredded newspaper mulch for the winter.
Spring: Mulch is removed and composted. Composted organic material is
tilled into the beds every two weeks or so until time for planting.
Planting: Seeds or plants are set out in rows. Shredded newspaper is
used to mulch between rows and around plants.
Midseason: Compost is layered around stems of plants that are heavy
feeders. Water heavy feeders weekly with manure tea. Water everything
monthly with manure tea.
Harvest: Unusable plant matter is shredded and left as a mulch on top
of finished beds until fall tilling, when it is tilled under, along with
the mulch.
I don't till in or side dress with manure -- too many seeds to make
volunteers; rather, the manure is composted first, or used to make
manure tea. [With two horses, I get a LOT of manure. :)]
Chris Owens