godwin wrote:


if you have a dark loam (plant
chocolate) alluvial soil,


Um yep, it's that one. We're in the Kinglake Ranges (Vic.) Deep
reddish chocolate loam and I recall seeing the word 'alluvial' on the
pre-construction soil tests. I think those sort of tests are purely for
building/stability purposes aren't they (?) because maybe there's more
info on the test sheet. I know we've got it somewhere. It smells
incredibly lovely when wet (I'm sure that's not an indication as to the
soil but I just really like the smell and can't get enough of it.

We retained all the top soil from the excavations (massive amounts
heaped up the back of our place - a few people came to ask for some
which is good because we had way too much - about 80+ huge tip truck
loads) because I knew I'd want a lot for raised beds etc.

This area is semi-rural and known for its berry farms and potato
growers. Slightly further down the mountain are the Yarra Valley
vineyards but I think that soil's slightly greyer/different. It's
similar to the soil from around Silvan (Vic.), known for market gardens,
orchards etc. Some say you can grow a table leg in this stuff. I'm yet
to muck around with it.

As for watering and not being on mains water, fortunately we opted for
the biggest tank we could afford (98,000 litres) when we built. It has
been overflowing a lot lately so watering isn't going to be a problem
and soon when we build a shed that'll have another tank.


It's
best to just get to know your own soil, space, it's not a lab out
there, there's more variables than you can point a stick at :-)
_godwin



I guess I just gotta experiment, huh?

Maybe I should ask one of the spud or brocolli farmers up the road
because I'm yet to learn how to keep the soil good & rich (the levels
you mention.) I don't know what the levels should be.

Thanks heaps for your help, Godwin.

L.


your lucky but you still have to keep levels
up. Not many garden plants die from over watering and even less from
the over feeding, but there's plenty of dead and dying from lack.