Garden failed this year

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Tania

drew,

Ramial woodchips provide valuable plant nutrients over time. Much more than greens can provide. Orchards benefit a lot from it, as trees prefer fungi-dominant soil.

http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Cha...ips%202007.pdf

I am so sorry for hijacking the thread - we should probably open a new topic for this.

Tatiana

Tania I dont think you highjacked the thread by any means.
We are talking about building soil and the methods to do it.

I one of your posts above you said you didn't mix anything into the soil.
I already know your soil is acidic so I no you aren't adding sulfur.

You stated that you used wood ashes which is great for your acidic soil.

I just wanted to say to the rest that wood ashes will raise the PH even though they contain potash/potassium.
About 10% of wood ash contains potash.

Looking at the soil analysis it said there was plenty of potassium in the soil so there would be no need for the thread starter to add this.

Just in case someone tells them to someplace else.

Worth

[Tania]

Yes, I knew you'd say that Worth

It does raise pH, so it will be adding more problems in cjp1953's situation.

I love wood ashes. The only problem we only produce about 3 buckets of wood ashes per winter. It may not be a lot for an acre to see noticeable pH increase, but I am not 100% sure, as we did not do the pH test 'before' and 'after'.

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by Tania

drew,

Ramial woodchips provide valuable plant nutrients over time. Much more than greens can provide. Orchards benefit a lot from it, as trees prefer fungi-dominant soil.

http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Cha...ips%202007.pdf

I am so sorry for hijacking the thread - we should probably open a new topic for this.

Tatiana

Not a problem about hijacking,I wanted to see what your results with the wood chips breaking down.I'm going to stick with straw,I'm happy with the way it breaks down.I need a way to lower my PH,I'm going to take my results from my soil test with me to my local garden center where I bought the kit and see what they think the best way to do this.But I enjoy all your thoughts and advice.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

Not a problem about hijacking,I wanted to see what your results with the wood chips breaking down.I'm going to stick with straw,I'm happy with the way it breaks down.I need a way to lower my PH,I'm going to take my results from my soil test with me to my local garden center where I bought the kit and see what they think the best way to do this.But I enjoy all your thoughts and advice.

I have 7 blueberry plants and a PH meter, so I often test PH as it is super important to blueberries. Anyway the suggestions given were good. Cottonseed meal is excellent. Espoma makes a soil acidifier, which is sulfur. Sulfur takes 6 months to work. You could use Holly-Tone as your fertilizer. It also has sulfur. I forget how much space we are talking about and that may be impractical.
You could acidify your water, but using citric acid or acetic acid (vinegar) is only a temporary solution, they do break down and return carbonates to the soil. Sulfuric acid removes carbonates (turns them to gypsum which is stable) permanently. You could also lower PH by using ammonium sulfate. It instantly lowers PH, but it is very high in nitrogen (21-0-0). The sulfur eventually turns into sulfuric acid and removes carbonates. Onions were mentioned and if you grow onions and they come out small try ammonium sulfate! Sure the sulfur may make them strong, but your onions will be huge. Nitrogen loving plants like onions really respond, blueberries too, amazing growth. And with these plants that like a lot of nitrogen, growth is strong and firm, not weak. An amazing product if used properly. Super cheap too!

[cjp1953]

My main reason for a garden is growing tomato's and peppers.I do add cucumbers and eggplant and basil.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

My main reason for a garden is growing tomato's and peppers.I do add cucumbers and eggplant and basil.

Well I would use hollytone for a season and the PH will be back in it's place.
Supplement with soluable if needed. I grow numerous vegetables and fruits.
I love it! I have 10 fruit trees too. I grow spices too, too numerous to list.
My favorites are my 20 raspberry plants, black, red, yellow, and purple.
And my 10 blackberry plants. I have about 10 currant plants too.
Like we trade seeds I often trade raspberry plants. But I'm full, no more room!
I saved about 1/4 of my summer raspberry harvest, the fall harvest will start in about 10 days. The berries will be used for cooking.


Pole beans are really peaking right now. A 2 day harvest here. I gave them all away to the neighbors. So many more to come.


I pickled some today too. I added a couple ripe chili peppers (Guajillo).
I used this recipe. I have made them before, excellent recipe.
http://www.yumsugar.com/Spicy-Pickle...Beans-26204484

[cjp1953]

Thank you for your reply.Those pickled pole beans sure look good!!!

[Tania]

drew, your berries and beans are looking so awesome! Yummy

I am not a good raspberry grower, our raspberries are always neglected, and do not produce many berries, as they are growing under a huge hemlock tree and being trimmed by deer on daily basis. I am surprised they are producing at all!

You mentioned you are growing spices. Do you grow wasabi by any chance? I am looking for wasabi seeds.

cjp, I wish I knew how to lower soil pH... I guess it is much easier to raise it than to lower it. Yes, sulphur is the way to go, it helps to lower pH.

Tatiana

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by Tania

drew, your berries and beans are looking so awesome! Yummy

I am not a good raspberry grower, our raspberries are always neglected, and do not produce many berries, as they are growing under a huge hemlock tree and being trimmed by deer on daily basis. I am surprised they are producing at all!

You mentioned you are growing spices. Do you grow wasabi by any chance? I am looking for wasabi seeds.

cjp, I wish I knew how to lower soil pH... I guess it is much easier to raise it than to lower it. Yes, sulphur is the way to go, it helps to lower pH.

Tatiana

My wife and I are going to Amish country today.Holmes county is home of the largest Amish community in the States.Going to try and find Heirloom Tomato seeds in the Hardware stores down there.I've seen HollyTone around I do have some Garden Tone.I'll keep an eye out for prices on it.And thank you for your help.I want to thank everyone who has responded.

[JLJ_]

On the subject of building up soil . . . Sandhill has mixes representing a year long program they found helpful.

See "Soil Builder Mixes" and "Soil Cleanup Series" on this page:

http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/...specialty.html


I've never tried their mixes, I tend to deal with my "pretty good already because it was a horse pasture for decades" soil by adding a bit of this and that. But I like the concept and if I was dealing with some unsatisfactory soil that I wanted to turn into a garden, I think I'd try their blends for that purpose.

[cjp1953]

Well Saturday I pulled everything up and used my new digging fork.I mowed all the straw and then applied some cottonseed meal(7lbs) and then used my digging fork to turn it over twice.I then put in a winter cover of rye,yellow clover and harry vetch.Sunday morning I bought a 3 cu. ft. bale of sphagnum peat moss to cover the seed that I scattered.It gave me a enough to cover my 200 square feet.This should lower my ph below the 7.2 it's at now.I noticed that the clover is already sprouting.Should see the rye come up tomorrow or by Wednesday as well as the vetch.We had 1/2 inch of rain yesterday and more is in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow.Next spring I'll add the Urea (1lb.)and 0-46-0(1lb.).I didn't have enough money to buy all three items.Hoping next year's garden and weather will be better.

[clkeiper]

I live not too far from CF, OH... I will say that it was a TERRIBLE year for gardening here in Ohio. The day time temperatures were comfortable, but not exceptional for growing (not warm enough for swimming, either). The night time temperatures? Disastrous for growing. There were very few warm nights until just this week. If I am not mistaken July was about the coldest on record. One morning a few Saturdays ago it was 45f. We do farmers markets and we needed to pick corn that morning. COLD! and many of the nights for a couple weeks were less than 50f or close to it. Then for the Spring/ early Summer it rained every 3rd day, hard to get a garden in in that. I decided to put down ground cover between the tomatoes after last years disastrous wet and cold Summer so I didn't have to weed. I think the ground cover actually helped retain the much needed heat this year and keep the rain water from splashing dirty water all over my plants. I have been picking tomatoes by the bushel for two weeks now. The weather was not conducive to good gardening this year...again.

We don't do no till because there is too much to try this with (1/2 acre of corn alone plus all the rest) but rabbit manure is a really easy additive for a garden, too. I even have a few you can come get if you have a cage or two and want them. I use the manure mostly for containers and the greenhouse, not the garden so much. I would have to have hundreds for that. Cardboard is a cheap and easy addition. I collect it out of the dumpster from the appliance store here in town. Many places would be happy to give it to you if they aren't baling their cardboard. We have NUMEROUS horse stables in this part of Ohio... go get as much manure as you can and put it on. My sister brings me hers in those but trug tubs. Even if you only have room for one in your car/vehicle it is a cheap addition to get for the garden. Most places can't hardly get rid of it.

[cjp1953]

Thank you for your kind offer,mybe in the spring I can get some manure from you.It depends on how far the drive is.I checked this morning and see growth everywhere with my covercrop.It might be the clover or the hairy vetch as in the past the rye has red shoots.But who knows.As far as your offer with the rabbits,I'll have to pass,the Mrs. gave me a look that said no.We do have some wild rabbits that hang around but do no harm to my plants.Thanks again.cjp.

[drew51]

Ironic as I'm further north than you guys. Sorry to hear of your woes. This winter looks bad too. the torture never stops.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

Thank you for your kind offer,mybe in the spring I can get some manure from you.It depends on how far the drive is.I checked this morning and see growth everywhere with my covercrop.It might be the clover or the hairy vetch as in the past the rye has red shoots.But who knows.As far as your offer with the rabbits,I'll have to pass,the Mrs. gave me a look that said no.We do have some wild rabbits that hang around but do no harm to my plants.Thanks again.cjp.

I didn't mean to imply I had manure. I get it from the local stables ( that is where you need to get it, too) and my sister brings it to me, too. But, rabbits really are easy keepers, just keep them sheltered (no wind for them) and water and feed daily. I don't really do anything to them... I don't hold them, pet them, let them out and run around... not near my garden! I keep them for the poop, that is it, not because I love bunnies! for me it is another chore.