Because of some health reasons, I did not get a good start on my gardening
until late this year. I do hope to use the next cool months to get things
ready for next year and get a jump on things.

All of the cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins I planted this year failed
dismally. They had yellow leaves and tiny fruit. This was the first
planting. I had a sandy area where there was a water head, so I added about
five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested stuff) and a
bale of peat moss. I did have sprinkler heads on there, but when I thought
it may be watering too much, I put bubblers on there with lower water flow.

For next year:

Should I till more amendments in there? Should I mound it up? How much
water, and how often for about six plants? What fertilizer, and how often?
The lady at the nursery suggested three things to mix in there, blood meal,
cottonseed meal, and another I can't recall, which I did. She was really
hyped on using natural things rather than chemical fertilizers. I do have
access to all the horse and cow dung I want to collect right next door.

Help appreciated.

Oh, 3700' elevation, XXtreme SW Utah. Right on the lines zonally, but 6-7
he

http://extension.usu.edu/forestry/Ho...inessZones.htm

Soil, blowsand, but the garden and these areas have been amended with quite
a bit of organic materials.

La Verkin is the closest town to our burb.

Steve

In article ,
"SteveB" wrote:

Because of some health reasons, I did not get a good start on my gardening
until late this year. I do hope to use the next cool months to get things
ready for next year and get a jump on things.

All of the cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins I planted this year failed
dismally. They had yellow leaves and tiny fruit. This was the first
planting. I had a sandy area where there was a water head, so I added about
five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested stuff) and a
bale of peat moss. I did have sprinkler heads on there, but when I thought
it may be watering too much, I put bubblers on there with lower water flow.

For next year:

Should I till more amendments in there? Should I mound it up? How much
water, and how often for about six plants? What fertilizer, and how often?
The lady at the nursery suggested three things to mix in there, blood meal,
cottonseed meal, and another I can't recall, which I did. She was really
hyped on using natural things rather than chemical fertilizers. I do have
access to all the horse and cow dung I want to collect right next door.

Help appreciated.

Oh, 3700' elevation, XXtreme SW Utah. Right on the lines zonally, but 6-7
he

http://extension.usu.edu/forestry/Ho...inessZones.htm

Soil, blowsand, but the garden and these areas have been amended with quite
a bit of organic materials.

La Verkin is the closest town to our burb.

Steve

Maybe you need to add clay.
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"SteveB" wrote:

Because of some health reasons, I did not get a good start on my
gardening
until late this year. I do hope to use the next cool months to get
things
ready for next year and get a jump on things.

All of the cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins I planted this year
failed
dismally. They had yellow leaves and tiny fruit. This was the first
planting. I had a sandy area where there was a water head, so I added
about
five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested stuff) and a
bale of peat moss. I did have sprinkler heads on there, but when I
thought
it may be watering too much, I put bubblers on there with lower water
flow.

For next year:

Should I till more amendments in there? Should I mound it up? How much
water, and how often for about six plants? What fertilizer, and how
often?
The lady at the nursery suggested three things to mix in there, blood
meal,
cottonseed meal, and another I can't recall, which I did. She was really
hyped on using natural things rather than chemical fertilizers. I do
have
access to all the horse and cow dung I want to collect right next door.

Help appreciated.

Oh, 3700' elevation, XXtreme SW Utah. Right on the lines zonally, but
6-7
he

http://extension.usu.edu/forestry/Ho...inessZones.htm

Soil, blowsand, but the garden and these areas have been amended with
quite
a bit of organic materials.

La Verkin is the closest town to our burb.

Steve

Maybe you need to add clay.
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why
the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

I shall take that under advisement and ask about it the next trip to the
nursery. The gal there knows a LOT about plants, but I wouldn't want her to
date my sister.

Steve

In article ,
"SteveB" wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"SteveB" wrote:

Because of some health reasons, I did not get a good start on my
gardening
until late this year. I do hope to use the next cool months to get
things
ready for next year and get a jump on things.

All of the cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins I planted this year
failed
dismally. They had yellow leaves and tiny fruit. This was the first
planting. I had a sandy area where there was a water head, so I added
about
five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested stuff) and a
bale of peat moss. I did have sprinkler heads on there, but when I
thought
it may be watering too much, I put bubblers on there with lower water
flow.

For next year:

Should I till more amendments in there? Should I mound it up? How much
water, and how often for about six plants? What fertilizer, and how
often?
The lady at the nursery suggested three things to mix in there, blood
meal,
cottonseed meal, and another I can't recall, which I did. She was really
hyped on using natural things rather than chemical fertilizers. I do
have
access to all the horse and cow dung I want to collect right next door.

Help appreciated.

Oh, 3700' elevation, XXtreme SW Utah. Right on the lines zonally, but
6-7
he

http://extension.usu.edu/forestry/Ho...inessZones.htm

Soil, blowsand, but the garden and these areas have been amended with
quite
a bit of organic materials.

La Verkin is the closest town to our burb.

Steve

Maybe you need to add clay.
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why
the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

I shall take that under advisement and ask about it the next trip to the
nursery. The gal there knows a LOT about plants, but I wouldn't want her to
date my sister.

Steve

Why?Does she smoke?
--
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara

http://tinyurl.com/o63ruj
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm

"SteveB" wrote in message
...


"I added about five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested
stuff) and a
bale of peat moss."


"Should I till more amendments in there? Should I mound it up? How much
water, and how often for about six plants? What fertilizer, and how
often? "


The lady at the nursery suggested three things to mix in there, blood meal,
cottonseed meal, and another I can't recall, which I did. She was really
hyped on using natural things rather than chemical fertilizers. I do have
access to all the horse and cow dung I want to collect right next door.


Once again a soil analysis from the UMASS is 13$, I'm sure Utah Colleges
have comparable prices. A test will address all of your questions based on
science specific to your soil rather than a generalized ideal of what
someone thinks you should have. It also will give you a Conventional and a
Organic fert guideline.

Also do check with your county extension office, I bet they have folks that
are as good at answering these questions you have as your Nursery lady and
what you can get here, mostly because they know the conditions you face.

BTW ever check the pH and mineral content of your water? A soil test will
tell you the pH and the buffered pH of your soil but most folks never know
what the water is.

So think about it. How much have you given the lady at the nursery so far
based on her
$cientific knowledge of what you should have? Your results to date have been
what?

"gunner" wrote in message
access...

"SteveB" wrote in message
...


"I added about five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested
stuff) and a
bale of peat moss."


"Should I till more amendments in there? Should I mound it up? How much
water, and how often for about six plants? What fertilizer, and how
often? "


The lady at the nursery suggested three things to mix in there, blood
meal,
cottonseed meal, and another I can't recall, which I did. She was really
hyped on using natural things rather than chemical fertilizers. I do
have
access to all the horse and cow dung I want to collect right next door.


Once again a soil analysis from the UMASS is 13$, I'm sure Utah Colleges
have comparable prices. A test will address all of your questions based
on
science specific to your soil rather than a generalized ideal of what
someone thinks you should have. It also will give you a Conventional and a
Organic fert guideline.

Also do check with your county extension office, I bet they have folks
that
are as good at answering these questions you have as your Nursery lady and
what you can get here, mostly because they know the conditions you face.

BTW ever check the pH and mineral content of your water? A soil test will
tell you the pH and the buffered pH of your soil but most folks never know
what the water is.

So think about it. How much have you given the lady at the nursery so far
based on her
$cientific knowledge of what you should have? Your results to date have
been
what?

It is time to just gather a sample or two from different locations and do it
right. The nursery has been here for generations, and they know lots, but a
real test is what is in order.

Steve

On Sep 2, 8:09*pm, "SteveB" wrote:
Because of some health reasons, I did not get a good start on my gardening
until late this year. *I do hope to use the next cool months to get things
ready for next year and get a jump on things.

All of the cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins I planted this year failed
dismally. *They had yellow leaves and tiny fruit. *This was the first
planting. *I had a sandy area where there was a water head, so I added about
five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested stuff) and a

Steve

out of lurk mode.... around here (SE Illinois) the turkey amendment is
disked into the soil in the fall and allowed to cool off over the
winter months.
Linda H.

"Linda Hungerford" wrote in message
...
On Sep 2, 8:09 pm, "SteveB" wrote:
Because of some health reasons, I did not get a good start on my gardening
until late this year. I do hope to use the next cool months to get things
ready for next year and get a jump on things.

All of the cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins I planted this year
failed
dismally. They had yellow leaves and tiny fruit. This was the first
planting. I had a sandy area where there was a water head, so I added
about
five bags of amendment (turkey shit based locally suggested stuff) and a

Steve

out of lurk mode.... around here (SE Illinois) the turkey amendment is
disked into the soil in the fall and allowed to cool off over the
winter months.
Linda H.

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker died. Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

SteveB wrote:

[....]

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker died. Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

what broke on the string trimmer?

"Jim" wrote in message
...
SteveB wrote:

[....]

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker died.
Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will
definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

what broke on the string trimmer?

carb problems.

SteveB wrote:

Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:

[....]

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker died.
Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will
definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

what broke on the string trimmer?

carb problems.

the primer bubble dry rotted on mine. up until I took the time
to chase a part and then fix the trimmer, 31 pulls of the starting
cord and I could go to work... now with primer bubble replaced 2
pulls of the starting cord and we're working....

"Jim" wrote in message
...
SteveB wrote:

Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:

[....]

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker died.
Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will
definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

what broke on the string trimmer?

carb problems.

the primer bubble dry rotted on mine. up until I took the time
to chase a part and then fix the trimmer, 31 pulls of the starting
cord and I could go to work... now with primer bubble replaced 2
pulls of the starting cord and we're working....

same thing. primer bubble. now nothing will start it. i've got spark and
gas. i'm stumped.

Steve

SteveB wrote:

Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:
Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:

[....]

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker died.
Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will
definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

what broke on the string trimmer?

carb problems.

the primer bubble dry rotted on mine. up until I took the time
to chase a part and then fix the trimmer, 31 pulls of the starting
cord and I could go to work... now with primer bubble replaced 2
pulls of the starting cord and we're working....

same thing. primer bubble. now nothing will start it. i've got spark and
gas. i'm stumped.

Steve

mine is a Shindaiwa I bought back in 1992. never had a problem
until the primer bubble failed.

when you test for spark, are you finding spark at the end of the
spark plug wire where it connects to the spark plug, or at the
gap of the plug?

"Jim" wrote in message
...
SteveB wrote:

Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:
Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:

[....]

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker
died.
Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will
definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

what broke on the string trimmer?

carb problems.

the primer bubble dry rotted on mine. up until I took the time
to chase a part and then fix the trimmer, 31 pulls of the starting
cord and I could go to work... now with primer bubble replaced 2
pulls of the starting cord and we're working....

same thing. primer bubble. now nothing will start it. i've got spark
and
gas. i'm stumped.

Steve

mine is a Shindaiwa I bought back in 1992. never had a problem
until the primer bubble failed.

when you test for spark, are you finding spark at the end of the
spark plug wire where it connects to the spark plug, or at the
gap of the plug?

At the gap. Cleaned around the ceramic cone with a straight pin. Nothing
in there.

SteveB wrote:

Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:
Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:
Jim wrote:
SteveB wrote:

[....]

Was out there today attacking the biomass until the weed whacker
died.
Got
the parts and got it fixed, and will be out there tomorrow. Will
definitely
till everything in now, and let it do its thing until spring.

Thanks.

Steve

what broke on the string trimmer?

carb problems.

the primer bubble dry rotted on mine. up until I took the time
to chase a part and then fix the trimmer, 31 pulls of the starting
cord and I could go to work... now with primer bubble replaced 2
pulls of the starting cord and we're working....

same thing. primer bubble. now nothing will start it. i've got spark
and
gas. i'm stumped.

Steve

mine is a Shindaiwa I bought back in 1992. never had a problem
until the primer bubble failed.

when you test for spark, are you finding spark at the end of the
spark plug wire where it connects to the spark plug, or at the
gap of the plug?

At the gap. Cleaned around the ceramic cone with a straight pin. Nothing
in there.

if I am reading this to mean you have spark at the gap with fuel
making its way into the cylinder then the next test is compression.