a question about soil
 

I have a perplexing problem, and I'm hoping someone here as some suggestions.

About 8-9 years ago, I had a combination of topsoil and compro (or whatever it
is that they make out of ground up leaves) delivered for my vegetable gardens.
for the first several years, my routine veggie crops were spectacular. Lately,
though, I find that seeds won't germinate, even the easiest to grow veggies.
Beans, peas, etc...nothing. When I plan seedlings, though, I still get
respectable plants.

I suspect that my soil needs something. I'm awaiting the soil test results
from my local extension service, but each year, the results look the same, and
are usually not real helpful.

Any suggestions? Does this sound like an acidity problem? When you add lime,
how much?

Thanks,

Lee

a question about soil
 

Doesn't sound like a nutrient problem - i.e. your veggies still grow fine
when you put in seedlings you claim. When seeds don't germinate it is often
that they are killed right after germination (still in the soil) by
pathogens. Also, the texture of the soil is sometimes the culprit as the
cotyledons cant generate enough pressure to move thru the medium. Take a
sample to AG extension and see what they say.

--
Mike LaMana, MS
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net


"LG1111" wrote in message
...
I have a perplexing problem, and I'm hoping someone here as some
suggestions.

About 8-9 years ago, I had a combination of topsoil and compro (or
whatever it
is that they make out of ground up leaves) delivered for my vegetable
gardens.
for the first several years, my routine veggie crops were spectacular.
Lately,
though, I find that seeds won't germinate, even the easiest to grow
veggies.
Beans, peas, etc...nothing. When I plan seedlings, though, I still get
respectable plants.

I suspect that my soil needs something. I'm awaiting the soil test
results
from my local extension service, but each year, the results look the same,
and
are usually not real helpful.

Any suggestions? Does this sound like an acidity problem? When you add
lime,
how much?

Thanks,

Lee

a question about soil
 

LG1111 wrote:

I have a perplexing problem, and I'm hoping someone here as some suggestions.

About 8-9 years ago, I had a combination of topsoil and compro (or whatever it
is that they make out of ground up leaves) delivered for my vegetable gardens.
for the first several years, my routine veggie crops were spectacular. Lately,
though, I find that seeds won't germinate, even the easiest to grow veggies.
Beans, peas, etc...nothing. When I plan seedlings, though, I still get
respectable plants.

I suspect that my soil needs something. I'm awaiting the soil test results
from my local extension service, but each year, the results look the same, and
are usually not real helpful.

Any suggestions? Does this sound like an acidity problem? When you add lime,
how much?

I sounds like you might have a bug that eats seedlings as they
sprout or fungus that kills them.

Actually, a slightly acid soil prevents "damping off", a fungus
that kills seedlings. That's why my preferred potting mix for
starting seeds is half peatmoss.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/

I use Mozilla as my Web browser because I want a browser that
complies with Web standards. See http://www.mozilla.org/.

a question about soil