songbird wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
...
The co-op here finally got some straw in this week and Tuesday 4
bales followed me home . Yesterday I had a little job to do , but
today ... there are now 3 bakes of straw spread as a weed deterrent
mulch around and between the plants . My biggest problem is the
grass , don't know what kind it is but it sure will take over if I
let it . A nice thick layer of straw smothers it out , makes life
much easier for me .

The only concern I have is that I wonder if the decomposing straw
has an effect on the nitrogen in the soil ... and if I need to use a
nitrogen supplement to balance that .

if it isn't mixed in with the soil it should not
need that much as only the soil interface is the
area in contact with the soil that is taking nitrogen
during decomposition. usually rainfall has some
nitrogen in it so i never bother to supplement
nitrogen as the end result after decomposition
returns any nitrogen anyways.

why make it decompose faster? that's like
adding fertilizer to a lawn to make it grow grass
faster so you can mow more often...

the other thing to consider is that the soil
carbon is needed for most places, so adding nitrogen
just burns through the soil carbon faster. the
warmer and wetter the climate the faster it goes.
the better slow carbon is held in the soil longer is
stuff like charcoal or biochar.


songbird

I'm OK then , the straw (probably fall wheat this early) is just laid on
top . Some areas I pulled the grass first , others I just piled the straw on
top of the grass . The areas where I pulled the grass , I piled the stuff on
top of the straw , if this stuff touches dirt it will re-root . The area
where i planted the vine stuff - squashes and melons - is a different matter
.. Last summer I tried to grow potatoes in this area by using cages that I
filled with straw as the vine grew - miserable failure . After I pulled the
tater plants I tilled that mostly-decomposed straw into the soil . I might
need a nitrogen supplement in that area , the plants are all kind of
yellowed a little . It's also the last part to get mulched , so I can do
that before I cover it with straw . I'll slip by the nursery today while I'm
in town and see what Melissa thinks . She's pretty sharp , hasn't steered me
wrong yet .

--
Snag