Desert sandstone soil kicking my butt!

[bryanccfshr]

Some locations are tillable others are not, THe spading fork can sometimes break through waht the tiller won't break through(I am 210 pounds and stand on it. For most my plantings I havedecided to go with somthig simitlar to earlys hole method.

Hopefully next year the life and tilth of the surface can be called soil. The funny think about this desert sand where I am is it is not like river sand or sharp sand. It has a lot odf clay and silt in it as well. That and all the rocks! I am using many bails of peat and tons of Peat and sheep as well as used duck bedding for mulch.
Working on permanent beds. I know folks who have gotten the soil life up and have got earthworms a few miles from here so I know it is possible.

THe good news. I can sprawl indeterminates at 18-24" and not worry about foilage disease.

[outsiders71]

I'm not sure what cover crops are successful for where you live (New Mexico?), you might want to check your local feed store and ask them what they suggest. Either way I found cover crops to be the best weapon against hard clay up here in the North.

Alfalfa, Sorghum-Sudangrass or Buckwheat would be my suggestion.

[bryanccfshr]

THis fall after my Pumpkins, SUnflowers, tomatoes, peppers and all the other value stuff is done I will try soome alfalfa(grows well hewre) and other high bio mass coverage. Once the permanent planting holes have roots in them I will not disturb them. This place van grow some nice fruit trees, grapes and forage, Water is rare however.

[Timmah!]

The red clay here in Kentucky can also be quite a pain to cultivate, especially when it's dry. Once you make the soil more friable via amendments, it does support some nice growth.

[outsiders71]

Originally Posted by bryanccfshr

THis fall after my Pumpkins, SUnflowers, tomatoes, peppers and all the other value stuff is done I will try soome alfalfa(grows well hewre) and other high bio mass coverage. Once the permanent planting holes have roots in them I will not disturb them. This place van grow some nice fruit trees, grapes and forage, Water is rare however.

Alfalfa is a good choice then, here's some more info on it:
http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglib...10139ch13.html

The only downside to alfalfa is that to get the best benefits from it you have to leave it alone longer.

Sorghum-sudangrass may be the better option for you if you don't have time to wait for Alfalfa and want to get the most biomass and root systems in the soil before the following season, it is also drought tolerant:

http://www.sare.org/publications/cov...dangrass.shtml

[dice]

A cover crop database from California:
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cgi-bin/ccrop.exe
(Does not include alfalfa, but you can find plenty
of info on that elsewhere.)

Example entry (buckwheat):
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cgi-bin...XE/show_crop_9

[bryanccfshr]

Thanks..the sad thing with my career is that As soon as I get the soil on my property into a healthy state I will get relocated.

[bryanccfshr]

Told yall


I am moving up to Durango Co. My permanent beds did develop earthworms and other biota.Itslatejune and I stillhave canned maters from lastyear.


Oh Well. I hope the new owners take careof the fruit trees.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by bryanccfshr

Told yall


I am moving up to Durango Co. My permanent beds did develop earthworms and other biota.Itslatejune and I stillhave canned maters from lastyear.


Oh Well. I hope the new owners take careof the fruit trees.

Bryan how can you stand this #$%^?

Worth

[dice]

Perhaps my "raised bed on a lowboy trailer" idea would help.
(You could take it with you whenever you move.)

[bryanccfshr]

ha! Ill have to liv with the fact that I may or may not see the end result of my hard work. The new place has a small backyard and community gardens. I plan on running a clinic as the community garden is expanded. I am donating alot of materials since I have them.

[Red Dirt Farmer]

Bryan,
I lived and gardened in Gallup, NM for 3-years. I started on virgin ground with typical flora, Junipers, sage, etc. I cleared it so that helped break-up the surface. Since it was mostly sand, I mulched heavily with the cheapest hay I could find, usually something called cow hay which went for about $5 a sq. bale.
Each year I tilled the hay into the sand, and each spring the soil looked better. I was amazed that the hay broke-down so fast in the dry soil. I guess there were a lot of little critters eating it. By the third spring, I actually had what most would call dirt, very pliable, rich and dark. I know the main draw-back to this is the high cost of hay in NM but since you are a bit closer to Colorado, maybe you can get a bargain.
Ken

[Dewayne mater]

You might consider Ray Newste's Earth Tainers. They are quite effective and very efficient from a water use standpoint. I've used them out of necessity, but even when I get my garden back after the foundation is repaired, I'm going to keep using them.

[shlacm]

Originally Posted by Dewayne mater

You might consider Ray Newste's Earth Tainers. They are quite effective and very efficient from a water use standpoint. I've used them out of necessity, but even when I get my garden back after the foundation is repaired, I'm going to keep using them.

I was JUST going to post that he should start using Earthtainers, but you beat me to it... AND actually have experience with them too!

[TomNJ]

Moving already! Geez Bryan, that's just not fair. My next move (to the Blue Ridge Mountains) will be my last. Can't wait to get more land and go crazy with tomatoes and garlic. Only wish I could grow some good vinifera wine grapes there!

TomNJ