Messages In This Digest (9 Messages)
- 1.
- cat mess From: chandu solanki
- 2.
- Favorite Tool? From: beaderanne
- 3a.
- Re: Compost Pile size From: Ken
- 4a.
- Re: Question on dormant oil for peach tree From: Ken
- 5a.
- Re: New to Group From: Ken
- 6a.
- Question about Iron in soil From: Ken
- 7a.
- Re: Vermicompost Invaders! From: chiong_guo
- 8.
- New Member Intro From: Shawn
- 9a.
- Re: Refrigerator Garden Update From: Sam I Am
Messages
- 1.
-
cat mess
Posted by: "chandu solanki" chandusink@yahoo.co.uk chandusink
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:46 am (PDT)
can anyone please find a sure way of clearing cat mess , I have up t o6 cats coming t make a mess in my garden and I find it frustrating that I have to clean it up weekly. I have tried orange peel, moth balls, sonar alarms wit little luck , please help if anyone has any advice , my email is chandusink@yahoo.co.uk thanks c
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
- 2.
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Favorite Tool?
Posted by: "beaderanne" beaderanne@yahoo.com beaderanne
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:47 am (PDT)
What is everyone's favorite tool the they can't live without?
Beaderanne
Zone 5
Missouri
- 3a.
-
Re: Compost Pile size
Posted by: "Ken" kenrogers@comcast.net kenrogers911
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:47 am (PDT)
Wood saw dust may not break down as fast as something like grass and leaves. Saw dust tends to take away nitrogen. A pile can take days to weeks to start working if its from a cold source. Here, mine can only 'cook in summer. Winter is when its soaked with ice, water, and snow. I can tell when its working as its level drops the following spring at least a foot from when it was piled up in fall.
--- In Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups. , "chiong_guo" <chiong_guo@com ...> wrote:
>
> 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.
>
- 4a.
-
Re: Question on dormant oil for peach tree
Posted by: "Ken" kenrogers@comcast.net kenrogers911
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:47 am (PDT)
I don't use just the oil, as I have fungal problems with peach, apricot, plum, and apples. Instead, I spray a lime sulfur oil spray that is more effective and only needs a day time temp to dry enough. Also, oil sprays are OK by themselves and can be applied all during the growth time, but only tend to help block some minor fungal problems. A true fungicide is applied during the growing season, but they are not oil sprays. I apply the lime sulfur oil in late fall and very early spring even before the buds swell. The combo can kill off many overwintering bugs, and that early spring spray helps a bit more. I do NOT use the lime supfur oil in spring/summer after buds break. During blossoming and summer growth, I plan to use a product called Serenade for fungal issues, and also plan to try a very complex product called Cleary 3336WP. I also splan to mix a spreader sticker into the water based mixes, as that helps to reduce spray losses and increases the time the sprays need to be done. The Cleary is a wettable powder and is organic, as well as being biologically targeted for the black sooty fungus I get on my nice bug free apples. My Asian pears show no signs of any pests or diseases, and quince have slight rust issues. I also use the GA fruit tree fertilizers, as well as sticky traps and scent lures for bug control.
--- In Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups. , "Yara Silva" <yararsilva2@com ...> wrote:
>
> 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)
>
- 5a.
-
Re: New to Group
Posted by: "Ken" kenrogers@comcast.net kenrogers911
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:47 am (PDT)
First, get a good concise soil test done. Avoid things like Miracle Grow or other chemical based fertilizers. In the soil test results, you also need not only the primaries of NPK, but also minors, minerals, and micro nutrients. Once you have good soil ammended, the needs will only require specific ammendments. Corn, needs a BIG area to pollinate properly, raised beds would have to be huge for corn. Also, watermelon need lots of space for their vines, another BIG raised bed issue.
--- In Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups. , "texasannie3000" <texasannie3000@com ...> wrote:
>
> 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.
>
- 6a.
-
Question about Iron in soil
Posted by: "Ken" kenrogers@comcast.net kenrogers911
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:48 am (PDT)
Commercially bagged compost isnt fit to be used in any vegetable garden!! I used a lot of bagged stuff some years back, and it was mixed with my own limited compost. That year, I grew potatoes and every one of them had tiny holes drilled into them from all directions. It was from wire worms, something I never saw or had here before. The end of that year, the potato soil was all dumped back into the compost pile and is now at the bottom after 6 years of layering and breakdown. I use Iron Sulfate, as one of my soils test four years ago showed nearly no iron. Be careful, its quite powerful and can do a number on some things that are growing there already. Ironite, a powder and liquid are less effective, but offer you a safer application to soil if plants are already growing there. My bluberries need acid, so they get elemental sulfur, and they get no lime, but the garden will get lime when I also apply the iron sulfate. After 4 years the iron level has been fine. This year, soon, I will be doing another soil test, and expect the iron to be deficient again, so I already have some bags of the iron sulfate.
--- In Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups. , mike marduk <rockout93@.com ..> wrote:
>
> 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]
>
- 7a.
-
Re: Vermicompost Invaders!
Posted by: "chiong_guo" chiong_guo@yahoo.com.au chiong_guo
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:48 am (PDT)
--- In Organic_Gardening@yahoogroups. , "caycanna" <cayseaanna@com ...> wrote:
>
> I have won a small vermicompost bin and it was going well for about the
> first 8 months but now I have an infestation of aphid sized white
> insects and just can't get rid of them. I noticed them after adding
> some grape stems to the bin and they just won't go away.
>
> It doesn't seem to be affecting the worms at all but I'm affraid to use
> the compost now for fear of infesting the garden.
>
> Any hints are greatly welcome!
>
> Jessie
> SW Pa
>
I think what you are facing is a white mite infestation. This usually occurs when the bin is too wet. White mites won't harm your worms but they do consume the food you try to give the worms. There are a number of remedies you could try.
a. Place a wet newspaper/bread on the surface. Leave it there for a few hours. The white mite will cling to the wet newspaper. Take the newspaper out and throw it away. Repeat.
b. Place the bin, with the top opened in the sun for a short while. When the mites had left you can take it back in. The worms worm be harmed as they could burrow deeper inside.
c. Place some dry material on the surface such as shredded newspaper, sawdust mixed with aged manure etc. This will absorp any excess water.
Hope this helps.
--- chiong
- 8.
-
New Member Intro
Posted by: "Shawn" coffeequilter@yahoo.com coffeequilter
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:48 am (PDT)
Hi! I just joined today. My name is Shawn. My husband, kids and I just put in our first bed and have seeds in peat pots sprouting in our sunroom. I am looking forward to being a member of this community and hopefully, learning how to garden;p
- 9a.
-
Re: Refrigerator Garden Update
Posted by: "Sam I Am" 2sherlock@cox.net clik2100
Sun Mar 8, 2009 11:49 am (PDT)
I'd love to see photos... and some specifics on setup if/when you feel
like it. By Refrigerator garden, do you mean you planted in old
refrigerators? Or, it's done to keep in a fridge?
Apologies if that's a stupid question.
Rachel wrote:
> 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. ;-)
>
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