04-06-2003, 08:56 PM
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HELP--Late start on garden!
(JohnDKestell) writes:
Here's what I did to "shock" the soil into condition (it was
actually pretty good, nice and dark and crumbly, pH about 6.7-6.9).
I tilled it to about 10", raked off as much "crap" as I could,
weeds, roots, junk...... Then I covered it with about an inch of
about 4 year old wood chips (stored outside, well rotted and aged),
and tilled again to a foot deep. I raked again (much less garbage
this time), then covered it with some cattle bedding from the stock
yard (it was steaming when I cut into it--a little too hot from
bacteria?
Possibly, but since you're diluting it into 10 inches of soil, I doubt
you'll have any trouble.
still, it seemed to be "working" really well--you can't really tell
where the manure stops and the sawdust and straw begins) and a good
sprinkling of blood and bone meal. It rained for about 2 days.
When it dried enough (just this morning) I tilled it and raked
everything nice and smooth. It looks good to me, but it's my first
shot at starting a garden from basically, a lawn. (I inherited my
last, and really my first garden from the previous tenant).
Anyways, the rain seemed to have helped in getting the whole deal
mixed in completely. I can't discern the stuff I added from the
soil. NIce and crumbly.
Sounds like you're doing a great job. I've started a few gardens from
scratch, and I normally just till under what's there, mulch quite a
bit, and see how things do the first year before adding much else.
also, what is a good late summer/fall idea to help seriously build
up some great soil for next year? Is it ok to just add my compost,
and then maybe a serious layer of manure/bedding, and let it break
down over the winter? Should I turn it under, or wait until spring
for that?
One possibility, especially if your soil can use nitrogen, is to plant
a winter cover crop like winter rye, and then till that under in the
spring. That'll fix nitrogen to the soil as it grows, add green stuff
when you till it in, and look nicer than a bare spot over the winter.
--
Aaron
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