Messages In This Digest (10 Messages)
- 1a.
- Question about Iron in soil From: mike marduk
- 2a.
- Re: Tall tomato plants From: Carol
- 3a.
- Re: Iron in soils From: Jeff Strong
- 3b.
- Re: Iron in soils From: Amy Shea
- 4a.
- New to Group From: texasannie3000
- 4b.
- New to Group From: d8_point
- 5.
- Newbie Introduction From: misshookzilla
- 6.
- Question on dormant oil for peach tree From: Yara Silva
- 7.
- Compost Pile size From: chiong_guo
- 8.
- Refrigerator Garden Update From: Rachel
Messages
- 1a.
-
Question about Iron in soil
Posted by: "mike marduk" rockout93@yahoo.com rockout93
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:06 pm (PST)
Only if the soil is iron deficient. Outside of that, I don't think so. I'd also avoid turning in rusty metal - there could be any number of chemicals and compounds other than oxidized iron in there. If your soil needs iron there are amendments specifically made for gardening. A good soil test will tell you about this and many other nutrients.
If you want to improve your soil in a more general way, compost is always a good bet. I've also been experimenting with bio-char lately, which is just charcoal made at a low temperature that you grind up and turn into the soil. I wouldn't recommend buying it at the store though, as the commercial briquettes often have coal dust and petrochemicals to help them light. I make my own - bit messy, but I know what's in it.
Actually, I'd say the same thing about compost. Most times I've bought it, I've been very disappointed. The gov in US actually allows 'organic' soil amendments to include a certain percentage of ground up tires and other toxic refuse. Sigh. The best commercial stuff I've found is 'mushroom compost', basically the used up growth substrate for commercial mushroom production. It's a bit pricey, but nice (at least the brand sold at my local nursery).
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
- 2a.
-
Re: Tall tomato plants
Posted by: "Carol" cl_klavon@yahoo.com cl_klavon
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:06 pm (PST)
You know, trading goods for services--farmers helping each other--is
something that is discouraged these days. With the "suburban farm"
becoming more popular as the price of produce rises, this "Minimite" way
of doing things may in fact become popular again. A fat juicy
caterpillar would be perfect food for chickens, geese, and other birds
as well. I don't think I will be able to have the type of suburban farm
that I dream of having until I move out, and I will definitely be
looking for chicken farmers in the area when I do.
I also saw that someone else mentioned growing marigolds as a
caterpillar deterrant - I've done that before too. Crop rotation is
also important in minimizing such pests.
Thanks for all the great advice everyone!
--Carol
--- In Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups. , "Dave Leland" <dleland@...com >
wrote:
Carol,
I feed the ones I find to my chickens. They then turn them into
fertilizer... :)
Respectfully,
Dave Leland
DLELAND FARMS
Visit our family Website at: http://www.dleland.com/
- 3a.
-
Re: Iron in soils
Posted by: "Jeff Strong" jeff_faithwalker@yahoo.com jeff_faithwalker
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:07 pm (PST)
NO
--- On Thu, 2/26/09, mstehelin <mstehelin@yahoo.com > wrote:
From: mstehelin <mstehelin@yahoo.com >
Subject: [Organic_Gardening] Iron in soils
To: Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups. com
Date: Thursday, February 26, 2009, 2:46 PM
I Just got back from Cambodia. The soil there is red. I here talk
about rich red soil. If I put rust in soil will that improve it?
M
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
- 3b.
-
Re: Iron in soils
Posted by: "Amy Shea" ashea23@comcast.net ashea23
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:07 pm (PST)
I have heard of older farmers putting rusty nails into garden soil. Seems kinda dangerous to me (I like to go barefoot in summer, & I have young children), but I think this was a fairly widespread practice at some point.
Maybe only in the south? Maybe from the Depression-era don't-waste-anything mentality?
Best wishes,
Amy, mountains of SW VA
.......... ............... .......... ............ ...
Those who dwell
among the beauties & mysteries of the Earth
are never alone or weary of life. (Rachel Carson)
We ought to stay out of the nuclei. (Wes Jackson)
http://ashea23.massagetherapy. com/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
- 4a.
-
New to Group
Posted by: "texasannie3000" texasannie3000@yahoo.com texasannie3000
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:07 pm (PST)
Hi! I have organic seeds coming at the appropriate time to start my
garden. I have had gardens in the past but not organic. This is my
first garden at our new home and the soil has been tested. I prefer to
do raised bed gardens but am not sure what the best way of doing that
is. Any suggestions? I will be planting herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers,
peppers, squash, beets, carrots, watermelon, spinach, strawberries,
and blue corn.
- 4b.
-
New to Group
Posted by: "d8_point" d8_point@yahoo.com d8_point
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:08 pm (PST)
Hi my name is Donna and I am new to this group. I live & garden in
Northwest TN. I am interested in learning more about gardening and seed
saving.
Thanks,
Donna
- 5.
-
Newbie Introduction
Posted by: "misshookzilla" muskeetoz@yahoo.com misshookzilla
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:07 pm (PST)
Hello everyone, I am a new member of your group and I wanted to
introduce myself. My name is Malaika and I live in sunny Southern
California. I am very new at gardening and I am excited to get started.
I would love whatever pointers you could give me. I am starting with
pumpkins, zucchini, some peppers (don't know which kinds yet), and
onions.
I don't know how to kill the vegetation that is currently growing
where I want to plant. It is some weeds but mostly grass and
something else but I don't know what it is. It has been pulled up but
it always grows back.
What kind of soil do you suggest? How about plant food?
Share the knowledge :o)
Thanks,
Malaika Renee'
- 6.
-
Question on dormant oil for peach tree
Posted by: "Yara Silva" yararsilva2@yahoo.com yararsilva2
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:08 pm (PST)
Hi all,
I bought some dormant oil for the peach tree we have. Last year it
produced a lot of fruit but most of it grew a black fungus looking and
become mumified or rotten.
Looking around gardens alive it seems that the dormant oil would help.
I am a little confused about how to use it though. The instructions
say use it first when buds start to swell, but also that night temps
should be in the 50s. Well, buds are swelling, and this week temps are
40s and high 20s at night. Should be warmer next week, but, crazy
weather in GA, we go from winter to summer overnight ( and back to
winter sometimes...)
Should I apply the oil this weekend even if night temps are low?
thank you in advance for any help,
Yara
Roswell GA (now zone 8)
- 7.
-
Compost Pile size
Posted by: "chiong_guo" chiong_guo@yahoo.com.au chiong_guo
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:09 pm (PST)
Recently I went to a goat farm to collect some goat manure for my worms. When I loaded in the manure which probably had been around for a day or two, the bags were hot. It wasn't the 3'x3'x3'. I thought perhaps that manure compost could really cook even if the pile is not 3'x3'x3'. As I needed a lot of compost for a commercial venture of growing vegetable that I am about to start I thought of composting goat's manure.
I ground up some goat dung which had been sitting there for about 3 weeks, added about 50% saw-dust, 50% goat manure grounded up. To prevent saw dust and ground up goat manual from clumping up I added about 10%(part of the 50%) of the original goat manure which is round. This will hopefully give it air. I added EM as starter. EM:molass:water ratio was 1:1:100. The whole mixture was wetted to 30% moisture.
I placed all of these into a large rubbermaid. After two days the mixture was slightly warm. I stirred it up a bit and will check again.
Is there something that I could do, such as adding urea, to really get it cooking ?
Thanks for any suggestions.
- 8.
-
Refrigerator Garden Update
Posted by: "Rachel" shilohfarm@cgmailbox.com
Thu Mar 5, 2009 8:15 pm (PST)
I thought we'd never finish the hauling, preparing, planting, painting and then installing drip lines............ but, thankfully, we finally did finish last evening. Now, just to sit back and watch it all grow - God willing. ;-)
I still have a perimeter fence & rose hedge to put up but, as sore as I am now... I don't dare tackle that until fall or I'll be back in traction for sure. ;-( That is okay though, as fall is the best time to plant roses here.
Now, comes the clean up of surrounding weeds and debris. I did notice many of our fall garden plantings still growing and even a few returning sunflowers, that we may leave alone.
If you want pictures just let me know and I'll post some to the group's photo albums, if available with this list.
I want to thank you all for your helpful suggestions, insights and cheering me on. ;-)
~~blessings,
~~Rachel
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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