Add Espoma bonemeal to the list; I just added about 2-3 pounds (total) over
the 2 beds (at least a pound each bed) and watered it in. It's nearly
impossible for me to scratch anything in because the corn is closely planted
plus the driplines plus the summer lettuce mix, etc. The best I can do is
run a Garden Weasel with only 1 tine and even that's for short distances
before running into some plant. Also, the nursery didn't have any greensand,
and don't think they even knew what it was. And it's one of the busiest ones
in the area. So will have to check the fire pit but I'd think much of the
nutrients got leeched away with the rain we've been having...

Mark

"Pat Kiewicz" wrote in message
...
simy1 said:

I till in nothing and make sure to always balance acid things (wood
chips and coffee) with some wood ash, which has a pH of 10.4 and is
50% Ca and about 10% Mg (I have a wood stove and I store the ash in my
garage for spring and summer use). That does not yet balance
everything (where is the P?), but it is a good start. wood ash will
always be better than lime because it has a better nutrient profile
(besides Ca and Mg, it is 3% P and 8% K for example) and acts very
fast. Probably at this stage of the game (need a fast acting amendment
to try and get a crop out of these things), if I were to do things
blindly, a mixture of wood ash and bone meal would get those plants
kick-started. In fact, given a pH of 6.2, one could add 0.03 lb per
sqft and the pH would not go above 6.7.

In the long run, though, I think Mark ought to mineralize that soil --
rock phosphate, (probably dolomitic) limestone, and greensand or
some other potash-rich rock dust -- 'bankable' material. Even some
decently mineralized 'fill dirt' might work. (I've seen that happen by
accident in my own yard.)

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)