Archives for October 2008

I'm tired of always worrying about not washing out all the pesticides, herbicides and god knows what els out of my vegtables. So i decided that i should grow my own vegatebles. But i've never grown anything in my life. Does anyone have any tips that will help me start out right. I want to grow tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, squash, and possible my own green tea. Where should I go shopping?

Begin with what you have and prepare the soil for next year. Healthy soil grows healthy plants. Doing it organically means it takes a bit more time for things to break down and beneficial soil communities, including actinomycetes and arbuscular mycorrhizae, need to recover if you till in any amendments. They are your partners in preparing the soil and growing the plants. Know your beneficial flora & fauna in the soil and on top. It seems like a lot to learn but it really will help.

compost

http://www.css.cornell.edu/compost/invertebrates.html
http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/ornamentals/beneficials.html
http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/yard/problems/goodbugs.cfm

To begin asses your soil. What is the mineral content: sand, silt and clay ratio. Next how much organic is in the soil. Here are two methods to familiarize yourself with the soil. Optimum soil percentages are: Sand – 30-50%, Silt – 30-50%, Clay – 20- 30%, Organic material – 5-10%.
You need 1 quart jar, 2 cups water, 1 T water softener OR three drops detergent. Just enough to separate the minerals not to foam up.

Take a soil sample from the top 12 inches in your garden beds. Since your soil may vary throughout your property, take samples from each area you plan to amend and test each one separately.

Place your soil sample, water and water softener in a quart jar. Cover with a tight fitting lid on the jar, shake vigorously until everything is floating in the water. (If it foams you used to much soap.) Set the jar aside for 24 hours.

What settles first is the sand, the next layer is the silt, followed by the clay, and frosting all the layers is the organic material on top. When everything has settled after 24 hours, measure each layer. Then divide the thickness of each layer by the total depth of all layers together. To get the percentages, multiply the answers by 100.

Alternate assessment method
Check your soil's texture by picking up a handful and squeeze gently: If it feels sticky and stays in a tight mass, your soil is likely too high in clay. If it feels harsh or gritty and won't hold any shape or crumbles it is likely too high in sand. If it feels silky smooth or floury and won't hold any shape, it's likely too high in silt. If it molds into your hand yet crumbles apart when squeezed, it has the perfect texture. It is loam.
If it formed a sticky ball try to squeeze it upward to form a ribbon. Measure the length of the ribbon. Now wet the soil in your palm til muddy. Rub the soil against your palm with your other fingertips. Is it smooth, gritty or both?
1” gritty ribbon is sandy loam
1” smooth ribbon is silty loam
1” both is loam
1-2” gritty ribbon is sandy clay loam
1-2” smooth ribbon is silty clay loam
1-2” both is clay loam
GT 2” gritty ribbon is sandy clay
GT 2” smooth ribbon is silty clay
GT 2” both is clay
Black color indicates high organic matter; gray indicates medium organic matter. Red, tan or blue color indicates little organic matter and high clay. Blue color indicates that there is no oxygen in the clay. Therefore, no roots will grow in blue clay. Normally, the organic matter is mainly in the topsoil.
Next you take a fertility test for the pH and nitrogen, phosphorous, & potassium content. You can easily do this or send off for it. The results of the test tell you exactly how much you need to add to bring the soil to its optimal fertility without adding extra that will end up in the water runoff. Testing saves you money and prevents polluting the water.

If you need help calculating how much and what to add there are lots of sites that specialize in organic gardening.