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| Hello everyone I'm new here, I have a raise garden bed that I just made last weekend. It is exactly 8ft x 12ft and 1ft high. I filled it half way with black top soil and the top layer with a local nursery mixture soil witch includes compost. I also have a soak hose about halfway deep. So far I haven't used any type of fertilizer expect for black kow when I planted lettuce, strawberrys, thyme and rosemary. I would like to go the oragnic route if its not to late. What should I buy and use to get me on the right path. This is my first garden by the way. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| If you have the space, start a compost pile. You'll need more than just a small tumbler to amend a space that large, but it'll "pay off" well. Your soil will probably "shrink"/compact over the coming seasons (which isn't bad) so you'll probably have to amend with more soil/compost over the coming years. Once you start planting more N-intensive crops (if you do) then there's a variety of ways to get that into your garden depending on how much you want to spend vs. how much time you want to spend preparing these methods. Once you get your plants into the ground the leaves/buds will tell you a lot about what's currently available/deficient in your initial planting. Chances are you're "good to go" on everything but N...but given you're using a lot of fresh/untapped material with your initial garden fill, you may be just fine on N for this season. |
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| Where in the United states are you? That you have planted some things already indicates somplace south or southwest. Being an organic grower means your soil has ample quantities of organic matter to feed the Soil Food Web which feeds the plants you are growing. So you have some but do you have enough? You want 6 to 8 percent organic matter in your soil. These simple soil tests can help you determine that, 1) Soil test for organic matter. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. Then knowing your soils pH and how much Phosphorus, Potash, Calcium, Magnesium, etc. might also be of some help. Nitrogen is very dependant on soil temperature, the activiy of the Soil Food Web, for availability and in a good organic soil is of less concern then it would be in soils with kess than adequate levels of organic matter. |
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| I live in Savannah, GA. I did all the test. Test 1 and 2 are in process now. I will take pictures and post again once they are done. Tilth, the soil hold together and fell apart when poked. Smell. My soil has somewhat of and mild earthy odor, you really have to smell hard to smell it. There are no earth worms what so ever |
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| The earth worms will show up, especially when it gets warmer. They'll take some of that soil on top and move it down in the soil profile along with mixing their own waste through the profile along the way. |
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| For the drainage I'm going to say about 4 hours. The soil was already wet and there was a slight drizzle of rain. I posted pictures of soil test. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Pictures
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| You have clay soil with some organic matter, just how much organic matter is difficult to figure out since I don't know how much soil was put in that jar. |
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| I put about 3in of a mixture of the soil on top and bottom. |
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