Very Moist Soil & mulch/compost tea questions

[GaryVSmith]

1) I planted tomato plants on June 1st. Added total of 5 inches mulch (grass clippings & cedar mulch). It has rained almost constantly ever since. We did have a 2 day break with hot sun but moister meter still pegged out past 10. Today I decided to remove the mulch in hopes that that will help lower moisture readings with intentions to replace it when weather improves. Was that the right thing to do? Plants still look great and really growing well but not sure if they would eventually develop root rot.
2) My intent was to fertilize using compost tea as recommended by many but not sure again with all the wet weather if adding a weekly dose of tea was only compounding the problem. I have been adding one (1) 12oz cup of tea per plant per week. Is that the right amount? What do you think?
Thanks

[Redbaron]

Very seldom do I pull the mulch back. 9 times out of 10 it causes more problems than benefits. But it is a judgement call. Usually although wet, mulch allows the worms to be protected and make enough channels that there is enough air. There are exceptions, but not often.

[Uncle Dunkel]

If you have a heavy clay soil would be a good idea to pull mulch back. Instead of pouring more water on plant maybe try a foliar spray on the leaves. Gets into the plant faster also if you use one with chealted calcium it will help stop the blossom end rot which might show up because of all the wet weather.
Tim

[GaryVSmith]

Thanks Redbaron;
You bring up an interesting question to me. Since I recently built my 18" high raised bed, filling it with dozens of bags of store boughten garden soil, triple mix, compost, manure, peat moss etc. containing NO worms, should I go out and purchase a container of worms and let them loose in bed (lucky worms, garden instead of fish hook)?

[GaryVSmith]

Thanks Uncle Dunkel;
Soil is a mix of store boughten garden soil, triple mix, compost, manure, peat moss etc., so no clay. I've never used compost tea before now but did try to also spray it on on leaves with some success after filtering it thru paper towels. (might need to get some cheese cloth next time). Not sure what "cheated calcium" is but can inquire at local nursery. Anything like garden sulphur?

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by GaryVSmith

Thanks Redbaron;
You bring up an interesting question to me. Since I recently built my 18" high raised bed, filling it with dozens of bags of store boughten garden soil, triple mix, compost, manure, peat moss etc. containing NO worms, should I go out and purchase a container of worms and let them loose in bed (lucky worms, garden instead of fish hook)?

You need worms, that's for sure. I just find a few in the puddles after a heavy rain, "save" them from drowning, and throw them in the garden. I figure whatever worms I have are "natives" and well adapted to my conditions. But keep in mind, I am a crazy old man lunatic gardener wanna be farmer. Most people just buy some if they need them.

The good news is worms breed really fast if they have food. So likely they will end up in your raised bed anyway pretty fast. Just to jump start them though, adding a few first year does help.

[crmauch]

If you have worms in your 'regular' soil, and don't have a barrier in the bottom of your bed you problaby already have worms in the bed as they've discovered it as the driest area around (I've found that in my beds during wet springs).

I'm having weather similiar to yours, raining almost evry day, it's lucky when we have two days in a row w/out rain.

Chris

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by crmauch

If you have worms in your 'regular' soil, and don't have a barrier in the bottom of your bed you problaby already have worms in the bed as they've discovered it as the driest area around (I've found that in my beds during wet springs).

I'm having weather similiar to yours, raining almost evry day, it's lucky when we have two days in a row w/out rain.

Chris

That's about the same as here this spring. But everything has dried out by now.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Uncle Dunkel

If you have a heavy clay soil would be a good idea to pull mulch back. Instead of pouring more water on plant maybe try a foliar spray on the leaves. Gets into the plant faster also if you use one with chealted calcium it will help stop the blossom end rot which might show up because of all the wet weather.
Tim

Ya, the last thing they need is more water.
I had the same issue with my cherry tomato plants that are in-ground and in an area where water pools up after really heavy rains, the subsoil is heavy clay. Of course we got some heavy rains right after I transplanted them into the garden. Got some yellowing lower leaves on all plants except Black Cherry and Chocolate Cherry, the blacks seem to handle excess water in the root zone better. I didn't mulch yet and didn't until things dried up a bit. Did a foliar spray of fish/seaweed a few times which helped. The yellowing stopped, lost a few lower branches but got some reverse chlorosis on some.

[dice]

"Chelated calcium" that you can spray on is this stuff (not
necessarily this brand, which can be a bit hard to find outside
of farm country):
http://www.plantsthatproduce.com/ret..._12_01GAL.html

Some growers have had good results with this one, which has
calcium and magnesium:
http://www.agriculturesolutions.com/...0-1-gal-detail
(Should be able to find it at hydroponic stores.)

[Uncle Dunkel]

This little video helps explain the chelated process.
http://www.albionplantnutrition.com/...fficacy/#video