I am building my first vegetable garden. I took some soil to be tested and
it was recommended that I put 8 pounds of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft.

My garden is only 160 square feet so I don't need very much. The Coop
suggested a small bag of 6-7-7 and using twice as much (2.5 pounds). This
makes sense, but thought I would check here for confirming advice.

"The moderator" wrote in message
. ..
I am building my first vegetable garden. I took some soil to be tested and
it was recommended that I put 8 pounds of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft.

My garden is only 160 square feet so I don't need very much. The Coop
suggested a small bag of 6-7-7 and using twice as much (2.5 pounds). This
makes sense, but thought I would check here for confirming advice.

A legitimate soil tester would have been concerned with PH values... there's
no point in adding fertilizer before knowing your soil PH. I wouldn't add
any fertilizer to a vegetable garden its first season anyway. It sounds
like wherever you went they were just trying to sell you a supply of
fertilizer, probably something you really don't need. You'd do better to
buy your own little soil test kit so you can check the PH, a basic kit costs
under $10. You can add some granular lime to lower acidity, add peat moss
to raise acidity... don't add too much or you will find yourself seesawing.
For fertilizing your size garden till/spade in like a half dozen 40lb bags
of composted cow manure, after the first growing season. Think about
composting... you'll never need to buy any additives.

The moderator wrote:
I am building my first vegetable garden. I took some soil to be tested and
it was recommended that I put 8 pounds of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft.

My garden is only 160 square feet so I don't need very much. The Coop
suggested a small bag of 6-7-7 and using twice as much (2.5 pounds). This
makes sense, but thought I would check here for confirming advice.



What vegetables are you plan on growing? Quite frankly I don't
understand why your coop suggests 6-7-7. Also, they need to learn that
using twice as much is not (usually) as good a solution as using the
right fertilizer to begin with. Actually it might be better to use the
amount that you were told (8 lbs per 1000 sq ft) and use the 6-7-7 (if
is is readily available; that seems like a strange mix) and put it on
now and then again latter in the season.

I have an established garden and each spring I use about 1 pound of
9-12-12 per two hundred square feet at least a month before I plant
anything. Once the garden is off and growing on the heavy feeding crops
(like tomatoes) I feed them every couple of weeks using a liquid
fertilizer. I like the Expert brand (sold by Wal*Mart). It is as good
as the brand names and is much cheaper (but double what it was 5 years ago).
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

"brooklyn1" wrote in message
...

"The moderator" wrote in message
. ..
I am building my first vegetable garden. I took some soil to be tested
and it was recommended that I put 8 pounds of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft.

My garden is only 160 square feet so I don't need very much. The Coop
suggested a small bag of 6-7-7 and using twice as much (2.5 pounds).
This makes sense, but thought I would check here for confirming advice.

A legitimate soil tester would have been concerned with PH values...
there's no point in adding fertilizer before knowing your soil PH. I
wouldn't add any fertilizer to a vegetable garden its first season anyway.
It sounds like wherever you went they were just trying to sell you a
supply of fertilizer, probably something you really don't need. You'd do
better to buy your own little soil test kit so you can check the PH, a
basic kit costs under $10. You can add some granular lime to lower
acidity, add peat moss to raise acidity... don't add too much or you will
find yourself seesawing. For fertilizing your size garden till/spade in
like a half dozen 40lb bags of composted cow manure, after the first
growing season. Think about composting... you'll never need to buy any
additives.

I had the testing performed by the County extension office.

The PH level is 6.4.

Nutrient
P 16 (ppm) below optimum
K 26 below optimum
Ca 689
Mg 56
SO4-S 12
Zn 3.9 below optimum
Fe 144
Mn 214
Cu 1.0

Estimated Base Saturation

Total 62.4
Ca 51.8
Mg 7.0
K 1.0
Na 2.6

I took the soil sample made right after I turned the sod. It took three
weeks to get the results and since then I have added 2.2 cubic feet of
compressed peat moss and two bags of manure humus mix. I am a little
concerned with the PH being more acidic since I added the peat moss, but
there was a lot of dirt compared to the thin layer of peat moss.

"Bill R" wrote in message
...
The moderator wrote:
I am building my first vegetable garden. I took some soil to be tested
and it was recommended that I put 8 pounds of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft.

My garden is only 160 square feet so I don't need very much. The Coop
suggested a small bag of 6-7-7 and using twice as much (2.5 pounds).
This makes sense, but thought I would check here for confirming advice.

What vegetables are you plan on growing? Quite frankly I don't understand
why your coop suggests 6-7-7. Also, they need to learn that using twice
as much is not (usually) as good a solution as using the right fertilizer
to begin with. Actually it might be better to use the amount that you
were told (8 lbs per 1000 sq ft) and use the 6-7-7 (if is is readily
available; that seems like a strange mix) and put it on now and then again
latter in the season.

I have an established garden and each spring I use about 1 pound of
9-12-12 per two hundred square feet at least a month before I plant
anything. Once the garden is off and growing on the heavy feeding crops
(like tomatoes) I feed them every couple of weeks using a liquid
fertilizer. I like the Expert brand (sold by Wal*Mart). It is as good as
the brand names and is much cheaper (but double what it was 5 years ago).
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

The 13-13-13 came in pretty big bags. I only needed 1 1/2 pounds of
13-13-13 so he recommended I buy a small bag of 6-7-7.

I am growing a lot of stuff since this is my first garden. I am going to
try and cram in the following.

Corn
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Okra
Peas
Cantaloupe
Potatoes

I bought an electronic soil tester. It was measuring my PH at about 7.3.
Maybe it was too cool to get a good reading, but I thought my soil was more
Alkali than the report showed.

"The moderator" wrote in message
. ..

"brooklyn1" wrote in message
...

"The moderator" wrote in message
. ..
I am building my first vegetable garden. I took some soil to be tested
and it was recommended that I put 8 pounds of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft.

My garden is only 160 square feet so I don't need very much. The Coop
suggested a small bag of 6-7-7 and using twice as much (2.5 pounds).
This makes sense, but thought I would check here for confirming advice.

A legitimate soil tester would have been concerned with PH values...
there's no point in adding fertilizer before knowing your soil PH. I
wouldn't add any fertilizer to a vegetable garden its first season
anyway. It sounds like wherever you went they were just trying to sell
you a supply of fertilizer, probably something you really don't need.
You'd do better to buy your own little soil test kit so you can check the
PH, a basic kit costs under $10. You can add some granular lime to lower
acidity, add peat moss to raise acidity... don't add too much or you will
find yourself seesawing. For fertilizing your size garden till/spade in
like a half dozen 40lb bags of composted cow manure, after the first
growing season. Think about composting... you'll never need to buy any
additives.

I had the testing performed by the County extension office.

The PH level is 6.4.

Nutrient
P 16 (ppm) below optimum
K 26 below optimum
Ca 689
Mg 56
SO4-S 12
Zn 3.9 below optimum
Fe 144
Mn 214
Cu 1.0

Estimated Base Saturation

Total 62.4
Ca 51.8
Mg 7.0
K 1.0
Na 2.6

I took the soil sample made right after I turned the sod. It took three
weeks to get the results and since then I have added 2.2 cubic feet of
compressed peat moss and two bags of manure humus mix. I am a little
concerned with the PH being more acidic since I added the peat moss, but
there was a lot of dirt compared to the thin layer of peat moss.

That's a very small bag of peat moss, I'd not concern myself. I think you
should plant your first crops without adding any fertilizer, that way you'll
know the results, it may well be that you don't need to ever add
fertilizer... if it ain't broke don't fix it.

brooklyn1 wrote:

That's a very small bag of peat moss, I'd not concern myself. I think you
should plant your first crops without adding any fertilizer, that way you'll
know the results, it may well be that you don't need to ever add
fertilizer... if it ain't broke don't fix it.



I totally disagree with you about not adding any fertilizer. ALL crops
require a lot of food and even if your soil is very good the proper
amount of fertilizer (as recommended after a soil test) is HIGHLY
recommended. Yes, the OP could get by without adding any but my bet is
that he would not get anywhere near the crop that he will get by using it.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

The moderator wrote:

I bought an electronic soil tester. It was measuring my PH at about
7.3. Maybe it was too cool to get a good reading, but I thought my
soil was more Alkali than the report showed.

Cheap probe testers (maybe yours was not cheap) are not very accurate, the
dye indicator pH kits are more reliable, easier and cheaper for home use.
Why did you think your soil was more alkaline?

David

On Thu, 5 Mar 2009 13:31:45 -0600, "The moderator"
wrote:

I am building my first vegetable garden. I took some soil to be tested and
it was recommended that I put 8 pounds of 13-13-13 per 1000 sq ft.

My garden is only 160 square feet so I don't need very much. The Coop
suggested a small bag of 6-7-7 and using twice as much (2.5 pounds). This
makes sense, but thought I would check here for confirming advice.



Your math is correct. If you can till it in, all the better. I test
my own soil, usually twice a year, although taking the soil to a lab
could be more accurate.

In article ,
Bill R wrote:

brooklyn1 wrote:

That's a very small bag of peat moss, I'd not concern myself. I think you
should plant your first crops without adding any fertilizer, that way
you'll
know the results, it may well be that you don't need to ever add
fertilizer... if it ain't broke don't fix it.



I totally disagree with you about not adding any fertilizer. ALL crops
require a lot of food and even if your soil is very good the proper
amount of fertilizer (as recommended after a soil test) is HIGHLY
recommended. Yes, the OP could get by without adding any but my bet is
that he would not get anywhere near the crop that he will get by using it.

Just as long as everybody knows that chemical fertilizers are salts and
that they kill soil (an incredibly stupid thing to do).

There is a financial incentive for lobbyists and public relation types
to get you to buy chemical fertilizers and insecticides which kill
ecosystems. There is no money in composting and crop rotation which grow
top soil. Are you smart, stupid, or apathetic?
--

Billy
Democrat and Republican Leaders Behind Bars
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7843430.stm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net

"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Bill R wrote:

brooklyn1 wrote:

That's a very small bag of peat moss, I'd not concern myself. I think
you
should plant your first crops without adding any fertilizer, that way
you'll
know the results, it may well be that you don't need to ever add
fertilizer... if it ain't broke don't fix it.



I totally disagree with you about not adding any fertilizer. ALL crops
require a lot of food and even if your soil is very good the proper
amount of fertilizer (as recommended after a soil test) is HIGHLY
recommended. Yes, the OP could get by without adding any but my bet is
that he would not get anywhere near the crop that he will get by using
it.

Just as long as everybody knows that chemical fertilizers are salts and
that they kill soil (an incredibly stupid thing to do).

There is a financial incentive for lobbyists and public relation types
to get you to buy chemical fertilizers and insecticides which kill
ecosystems. There is no money in composting and crop rotation which grow
top soil. Are you smart, stupid, or apathetic?
--

Billy
Democrat and Republican Leaders Behind Bars
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7843430.stm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net

I never add fertrilizer to my plot in a community garden and other gardeners
admire my results. I only add compost, which is not legally fertilizer.

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
The moderator wrote:

I bought an electronic soil tester. It was measuring my PH at about
7.3. Maybe it was too cool to get a good reading, but I thought my
soil was more Alkali than the report showed.

Cheap probe testers (maybe yours was not cheap) are not very accurate, the
dye indicator pH kits are more reliable, easier and cheaper for home use.
Why did you think your soil was more alkaline?

David

My electronic PH meter measured 7.3. The County extension office measured
6.4.

Billy wrote:

Just as long as everybody knows that chemical fertilizers are salts and
that they kill soil (an incredibly stupid thing to do).

There is a financial incentive for lobbyists and public relation types
to get you to buy chemical fertilizers and insecticides which kill
ecosystems. There is no money in composting and crop rotation which grow
top soil. Are you smart, stupid, or apathetic?

And the environmental wacko comes out of the woodwork! If it was up to
you people a lot of the world would starve to death.

I advise you to to do a little research and you will see who wrong you
are.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Digital Camera - Pentax *ist DL

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

In article ,
"The moderator" wrote:

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
The moderator wrote:

I bought an electronic soil tester. It was measuring my PH at about
7.3. Maybe it was too cool to get a good reading, but I thought my
soil was more Alkali than the report showed.

Cheap probe testers (maybe yours was not cheap) are not very accurate, the
dye indicator pH kits are more reliable, easier and cheaper for home use.
Why did you think your soil was more alkaline?

David

My electronic PH meter measured 7.3. The County extension office measured
6.4.

Are there buffered soil standards ? If so get three PH 3,7 and 10 .

Bill

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

In article ,
Bill R wrote:

Billy wrote:

Just as long as everybody knows that chemical fertilizers are salts and
that they kill soil (an incredibly stupid thing to do).

There is a financial incentive for lobbyists and public relation types
to get you to buy chemical fertilizers and insecticides which kill
ecosystems. There is no money in composting and crop rotation which grow
top soil. Are you smart, stupid, or apathetic?

And the environmental wacko comes out of the woodwork! If it was up to
you people a lot of the world would starve to death.

I advise you to to do a little research and you will see who wrong you
are.

Perhaps of interest deals with "the Green Revolution".

http://livingheritage.org/green-revolution.htm

Wacko Bill W

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA