First year at growing vegetables. Don't know anything about previous
history of the soil... it's clay/chalk.

Took it over last November and dug, dug, dug clearing as much weed as
possible and left it rough till Spring this year . Raked it lots to
remove stones and produce tilth. Now I have 5 beds to rotate in the
order: Potatoes, then Onions/Leeks, then Legumes, then Brassicas, then
Roots, then Potatoes again to restart cycle. Most crops are now in.

But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?

I am thinking of applying ChemPak No 2 (high nitrogen) to everything
until July and then switch to ChemPak No 8 (low nitrogen , high
potassium/phosphorus) for rest of season except for Brassicas.

Legumes would get ChemPak No 8 throughout growing season as they dont
need a lot of nitrogen.

Does this make sense?

Yours...
Hairy Legs

(South East , UK)

Hairy Legs ex@directory wrote:


But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?

Get/do a soil test, so you're not blindly adding expensive stuff you may
not need.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

On 18/05/09 15:17, Gary Woods wrote:
Hairy Legs ex@directory wrote:

But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?

Get/do a soil test, so you're not blindly adding expensive stuff you may
not need.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

What/how to do soil test?

Hairy Legs wrote:
First year at growing vegetables. Don't know anything about previous
history of the soil... it's clay/chalk.

Took it over last November and dug, dug, dug clearing as much weed as
possible and left it rough till Spring this year . Raked it lots to
remove stones and produce tilth. Now I have 5 beds to rotate in the
order: Potatoes, then Onions/Leeks, then Legumes, then Brassicas, then
Roots, then Potatoes again to restart cycle. Most crops are now in.

But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?

I am thinking of applying ChemPak No 2 (high nitrogen) to everything
until July and then switch to ChemPak No 8 (low nitrogen , high
potassium/phosphorus) for rest of season except for Brassicas.

Legumes would get ChemPak No 8 throughout growing season as they dont
need a lot of nitrogen.

Does this make sense?

Yours...
Hairy Legs

(South East , UK)





Watching "Country Matters" last night the farmer there seems only to use
nitrogen. Now to cut unnecessary fertiliser he is using aerial mapping
then a GPS controlled fertiliser applicator, should we club together and
buy one? ;-)

--
Please reply to group,emails to designated
address are never read.

On 18/05/09 15:19, Broadback wrote:
Hairy Legs wrote:
First year at growing vegetables. Don't know anything about previous
history of the soil... it's clay/chalk.

Took it over last November and dug, dug, dug clearing as much weed as
possible and left it rough till Spring this year . Raked it lots to
remove stones and produce tilth. Now I have 5 beds to rotate in the
order: Potatoes, then Onions/Leeks, then Legumes, then Brassicas,
then Roots, then Potatoes again to restart cycle. Most crops are now in.

But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?

I am thinking of applying ChemPak No 2 (high nitrogen) to everything
until July and then switch to ChemPak No 8 (low nitrogen , high
potassium/phosphorus) for rest of season except for Brassicas.

Legumes would get ChemPak No 8 throughout growing season as they dont
need a lot of nitrogen.

Does this make sense?

Yours...
Hairy Legs

(South East , UK)





Watching "Country Matters" last night the farmer there seems only to use
nitrogen. Now to cut unnecessary fertiliser he is using aerial mapping
then a GPS controlled fertiliser applicator, should we club together and
buy one? ;-)


Wow!!

I only got 150 sq metres. I just use watering can!!

Yours...
Hairy Legs

"Hairy Legs" ex@directory wrote in message
o.uk...
On 18/05/09 15:17, Gary Woods wrote:
Hairy Legs ex@directory wrote:

But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?

Get/do a soil test, so you're not blindly adding expensive stuff you may
not need.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at
home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

What/how to do soil test?



A well-stocked garden center should have soil test kits available. Some kits
are only for testing pH, while others contain the necessary stuff for
checking soil nutrients. If you don't have a retail outlet nearby which
sells these kits, here's a google search with some U.K. sources:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...i=&safe=images

http://preview.tinyurl.com/pyz96d

On 18 May, 15:36, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Hairy Legs" ex@directory wrote in message

o.uk...

On 18/05/09 15:17, Gary Woods wrote:
Hairy Legs ex@directory wrote:

But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?

Get/do a soil test, so you're not blindly adding expensive stuff you may
not need.

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at
home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

What/how to do soil test?

A well-stocked garden center should have soil test kits available. Some kits
are only for testing pH, while others contain the necessary stuff for
checking soil nutrients. If you don't have a retail outlet nearby which
sells these kits, here's a google search with some U.K. sources:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...=org.mozilla%3...

http://preview.tinyurl.com/pyz96d


You can get PH meters, but if you do, check it out with something like
vinager, I have had 2 and both were wired in reverse.and showed
vinegar as being very high PH, and not acid
I phoned the firm about the first one so they sent me a replacement,
and said keep the other.
A bit of work with the saldering iron corrected the problem.
Also have a look at http://www.kaysdiscountgarden.co.uk/33.html
Cost less than Chempack and are very similar in composition and usage.
Have you thought of foliar feed instead?
http://www.travena.co.uk/pdf/BioMagic-FoliarFeed.pdf
David Hill

On 18/05/09 20:37, Dave Hill wrote:
On 18 May, 15:36, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Hairy Legs" ex@directory wrote in message

o.uk...

On 18/05/09 15:17, Gary Woods wrote:
Hairy Legs ex@directory wrote:
But not knowing soil history , how to feed plants?
Get/do a soil test, so you're not blindly adding expensive stuff you may
not need.
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at
home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G
What/how to do soil test?
A well-stocked garden center should have soil test kits available. Some kits
are only for testing pH, while others contain the necessary stuff for
checking soil nutrients. If you don't have a retail outlet nearby which
sells these kits, here's a google search with some U.K. sources:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...=org.mozilla%3...

http://preview.tinyurl.com/pyz96d


You can get PH meters, but if you do, check it out with something like
vinager, I have had 2 and both were wired in reverse.and showed
vinegar as being very high PH, and not acid
I phoned the firm about the first one so they sent me a replacement,
and said keep the other.
A bit of work with the saldering iron corrected the problem.
Also have a look at http://www.kaysdiscountgarden.co.uk/33.html
Cost less than Chempack and are very similar in composition and usage.
Have you thought of foliar feed instead?
http://www.travena.co.uk/pdf/BioMagic-FoliarFeed.pdf
David Hill

Are not the Chempak formulations soluble in water and can be applied as
a foliar feed?