uh oh, garden disaster already?

[matermaniac]

So I now have a truck bed full of mushroom compost. There isn't enough to handle all of the plants that I will have but it is a start. When I go back to get more, I may need to make a monetary contribution to there operation. I as told that I could have whatever I wanted but taking that much would leave me feeling guilty.

I figure I'll cut it with soil and cured chicken poo. Maybe even check out some of local farmers for manure


Worth,
I guess you don't have any problem with the roots not going deep and the plants falling over? The cages you have look rather sturdy so I guess not.

[dice]

I do not know which city in SC with a Craig's List site that you
are closest to, but since you mentioned Charleston:

http://charleston.craigslist.org/sea...breviation=zip

http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us/sc

edit: You might find something useful via Bunnypower, too:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Bunnypowerforgardens/

[stormymater]

oh good on you for the Mushroom compost! Wish I could get 20 cubic yards of that stuff! You are going to be soooooo pleased with yourself! Congratulations!

[rhynes_boomer]

Hi Worth1,

I was wanting to know what you made your cages from, I haven't seen that big of a cage in a very long time, when my Grandma was alive and planted she had big ones like you have. If you would please let me know wwhat it is called and where I can buy it.

Thank you BUNCHES!
Kat (rhynes_boomer)

Originally Posted by Worth1

Other people and myself have grown in that exact same soil and had great success.

I just piled compost up around each plant mulched with hay put on some 13-13-13 and let it grow.
The roots feed off of the top.
You may not get monster plants but you will get tomatoes, not a disaster at all.
You just have to learn to work with what you have.

Right under that sandy loam is clay and gravel about 2 to 3 inches down.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=8486

About 5 inches of sandy loam and compost on red clay.




Worth

[Worth1]

Kat they are Texas tomato cages they are pricey but worth every penny.
here is the link.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...t1yvCNIsQ_spdg

Worth

[matermaniac]

How about this for a possible break. Compost from the county for only $10 a TON. Depending upon how good it really is, that could be a very cheap way to make a raised bed.

How would that compost, coupled with the mushroom and horse manure work? Maybe some of that epsom salt as well?

http://www.charlestoncounty.org/depa...t-facility.htm

EDIT: Thanks everyone for helping me to be able to save my plants. They thank you.

[dice]

Municipal compost is often free or inexpensive. It would usually
be made out of mostly leaves, shredded branches, and grass
clippings, with maybe some animal manure, commercial food
processing wastes, etc.

The only worry I have about it is contamination with herbicides
and pesticides . I don't know how completely composting
breaks down stuff like weed and feed, caterpillar spray, etc,
so I have mainly stuck to using it in perennial beds where
stuff grows that I do not eat.

For example:

http://wasteage.com/mag/waste_washington_state_bans/
http://www.organicpathways.co.nz/garden/story/597.html
http://www.composterconnection.com/site/pesticides.html
http://jeq.scijournals.org/cgi/content/full/32/1/224

It is possible that the microbes in something like Biozome
will break this stuff down faster, and I add a sprinkling of
that to my own compost, but I do not know that for a fact.

With your own compost, you know what you put in it and
probably take care not to add anything that has had toxic
chemicals sprayed on it to the compost pile. With municipal
compost, though, organic matter comes from all over the
city or county, and one has no idea what other people may
have put in their yard waste bins or hauled in with a dump
truck from a park, farm, etc.

[mtbigfish]

Worth
and it looks like texas tomato cages to hold up the bounty but without the shipping charges
Dennis

[matermaniac]

I'll be getting that horse manure this week. And I think I'll be going with strips of raised beds of about 6" deep. I'll till some of the compost and perlite down about a trowels depth. Then fill the rest of the beds with whatever is leftover.

[matermaniac]

I found a local nursery today that sells the recycled pots for way cheap. I bought 40 3 gal pots for the peppers for $.50 each. He even has 7 gal for $.75ea