A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.
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March 19, 2015 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: mobile zone 8
Posts: 83
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Need to build soil to help with drainage
One of my 20x20 plots holds moisture. I added horse manure and added lime after I did a soil test from auburn. I also planted a cover crop of Crimson clover over the late fall and winter. I just mowed it down on Tuesday .
Last week we received over 3 inches of rain. The other plot close by was dry enough to till yesterday. I tilled the cover crop under last month. Plus I already had a few rows of tomatoes planted. I just needed to form new rows. Then I checked the other plot because I wanted to turn under the cover crop so it would breakdown. So I checked part of it and it was okay to till not as dry as I would have liked it, but we are expecting rain for the next 4 days. I got to a point where some areas were muddy. I plan on adding a lot of compost in the fall. First I have to build them now, but in the meantime I need to do something now. I am going to plant okra in a few rows and legumes (southern peas) in the majority of the plot. I have a mountain of shredded leaves. I have one large pile of compost from last summer which I could concentrate where I am planting the okra. I have a mountain of shredded leaves for building compost piles. I figured I could add a bunch plus a few bags of soil conditioner ( fine bark) to help build it up now. I wouldnt think the carbon would be a problem for the legumes. Can u think of a better way or do u think this might help? I planned on adding a lot of compost in the fall regardless.
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March 20, 2015 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: selmer, tn
Posts: 2,944
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I use shredded and sometimes pine needles and have good well draining soil. It seems that you have a good plan.
jon |
March 20, 2015 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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As long as the soil is over 60 degrees, just mow again Sunday (exactly 5 days later since Tuesday) right flush with the ground. Then mulch over it and plant your Okra right into it. Leave enough space between the rows, and later when weeds start popping through the mulch...just mow it. Okra is tall. It will outcompete short weeds that keep getting mowed.
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture Last edited by Redbaron; March 20, 2015 at 08:13 PM. |
March 20, 2015 | #4 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Quote:
As for drainage okra likes lots of water I have never been able to drown it. This summer it will be dry enough. |
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March 20, 2015 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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That's my point actually. No need to dry out the soil by tilling it. As long as the soil is 60 degrees, plant away.
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
March 20, 2015 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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I was spraying roundup from a tractor in a new pecan orchard one time and asked the owner. Jackie isn't that okra I'm spraying?
He said yeah I planted 40 acres of it 4 years ago and I still cant get rid if it. It was in a muddy swampy river bottom. Worth |
March 22, 2015 | #7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: mobile zone 8
Posts: 83
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Figured it out
Quote:
I could just collect leaves and stack them 3 feet or better and just keep them wet Add some lime due to our acid soil and just wait till next spring
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March 22, 2015 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WI, USA Zone4
Posts: 1,887
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You may be victim of the "bathtub effect"...water flows to the area of least resistance. Sometimes too friable in an area of heavy soil causes headaches.
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March 23, 2015 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Iowa Zone 5
Posts: 305
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Gregory,
dustdevil be right, its obvious you’ve got a low spot with poor drainage. One lesser-expensive way you could do to build up your area is to add builder’s sand. (We) have done this at our community garden with great results, as we also have slow drainage and a potentially high water table. And then a more aggressive idea would be raised beds. As in the traditional sandbox type, using cedar or rot resistant wood in a 2x4” high frame of whatever dimensions. Or maybe you’ve already considered that, but being a low spot, something down below may be preventing drainage, and during a hard downpour it will drown the roots and thus set back your plants.
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March 23, 2015 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: zone 5
Posts: 821
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Is it at the lowest part of your yard? Is it feasible to make another part of your yard lower that it? Is it feasible to relocate the plot to a higher part of the yard?
Neither leaves nor bark are going to make the soil drier nor will they raise it enough to make an positive impact. As they degrade, which happens quickly, they flatten out. Leaf mulch retains moisture and will keep your soil wetter. (This is why I love it so much.) Water seeks the lowest point. You either need to raise the area a lot via soil in raised beds or you need to direct the water away from your plot. Adding compost and things like leaves to soil does help water percolate down, but only as far as the good soil goes. If the plot is still at a low point in the yard, it is going to be the wettest spot. Stacy |
March 23, 2015 | #11 | ||
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: mobile zone 8
Posts: 83
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Quote:
Quote:
I tried adding soil last year, it didn't help.
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