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| Im starting my first double dug garden this week . I have mostly clay soil and was wondering how much organic material to add? The only large amount of material I have to add to it are dead leaves. Is that enough or should I use something else also? Can I use the leaves and other material from the forest floor and put it directly into the garden? It has plenty of leaf mold. Ive been clearing off some land and have plenty of it and want to start a compost with it also. Also, what do i do for the rest of the winter to improve the bed for spring? Would it be a good idea to sheet compost on top of it? Im planning on spending a little at the garden center so if there is anything I should get to add to it please let me know. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Clay soil, Know it well. My caution first is "what kind of leaves and what state of composting they are at"? The point being Oaks having higher level of Tannic Acid than your soil may tolerate. Through complete composting (as I understand) the Tannic Acid breaks down at least to a tolerant level. With good compost I like to put 2 inches if the till depth was 10 inches. 8% of organics in the tillable soil is my goal. I like to add about some sand to this (available to me cheap) just for tilth. I personally don't have experience on sheeting so I won't touch that one. Good luck, dag |
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| Your soil needs about 6 to 8 percent organic matter in it. Whether double digging is worth the effort required is debatable since similar results are seen by people that simply pile organic matter on the surface and let the Soil Food Web do the moving of that OM into the soil, although this is a much slower method of soil preperation. What else, besides organic matter you may need for your soil depends on what your soil needs and the only way to know that is with a good, reliable soil test. These simple soil tests may be of some help, 1) Structure. 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. |
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| I am compelled to say this. I understand that you are clearing land, so the duff and leaves are not wanted in those areas, but for other people... I always worry that people will think that woodlands are an excellent place to round up some free organic matter. They're not. |
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- Posted by oldmainer z5 Maine (knarfme@comcast.net) on Fri, Dec 3, 10 at 4:26
| Hi mcriffle...I would add about 3" of leaf material and about the same of peat moss...would ball park a small amount of lime...read the bag label... and a bit of 10-10-10 fertilizer...and dig it in with a tiller or by hand. Unless you like the exersize double digging isn't needed. In the spring when you plant whatever it is your gonna plant in your bed... mulch with wood chips. A dose or two with liquid fish/seaweed fert. during the early growing season would be good depending on what is planted. Growing things is an art as much as a science...keep it simple and enjoy...Oldmainer |
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| Yes, layers of something over the top after you've dug will be helpful to attract more worms to do your work over winter. Our local feed store lets you sweep up after their bales of straw & hay. They even have a dumpster they dump it into separate from other wastes, so you can go & scoop it out. Alfalfa is an amazing soil amendment. Sure you have stems, but those leaves will jump start your soil for spring! I used to worry about weed seeds, but I think I have more weeds blowing in the wind than I find in hay around here. I cover the hay with coffee grounds as well as a layer of soil to help speed things along. Also have used burlap bags successfully. They darken with time and blend in looking like soil, so the neighbors don't see the coarse lasagna layers. Go easy on yourself & layer it up! I've done it many different times & it always works by spring. |
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- Posted by piedmontnc 7b-8 (My Page) on Sun, Jan 2, 11 at 9:46
| kimmsr- 1) |
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- Posted by GreeneGarden none (My Page) on Sun, Jan 2, 11 at 10:27
| I would work in some sand. Study showing cost of nitrogen sources, with composting being more expensive than working some other forms of organic matter directly into the soil: http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/organicN.html Studies showing loss of nitrogen: Nebraska University - 'Direct application of fresh manure with immediate incorporation is the best way to get the maximum amount of nutrients back to the field production environment. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Building Up Soil
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| Unless one is prepared to add about 45 percent sand by volume adding sand to clay soils does little. Cornell and a couple of other university research stations even suggest 75 percent sand is the minimum needed. |
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| Add sand & humus/compost- leaves to get best mix. I would say a little sand/humus every year is better then no sand/humus. It may be a few years before all is well, but the longest walk starts with one step. If we had unlimited funds, we would dig up our gardens down 24 inches & haul it away. Then replace it with humus, but we do not, so we compost & wait. Lets take the first step on the road to a better garden. |
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- Posted by jonhughes So.Oregon (jonehughes@hotmail.com) on Tue, Jan 4, 11 at 18:57
| Hi jolj , I hear ya ;-)
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| mcriffle, jonhughes- above said on the coffee chaff topic to use 25%pumice, 25% Decomposed Granite,50%compost. See that topic for details. |
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- Posted by jonhughes So.Oregon (jonehughes@hotmail.com) on Wed, Jan 5, 11 at 23:33
| Pretty close but the 100% additives were added to clay/topsoil and so... (so there is no mis-understandings), I have .... 10 yards of Pumice, 10 yards of Decomposed Granite, 20 yards of Compost, mixed thoroughly with 40 yards of Clay/Topsoil That is exactly what I did,and what I do now is continually top my beds with Compost... works amazingly I have 1250 square feet of Raised Beds, and I pumped out 5160 lbs of a huge variety of Vegetables from May 1st to November 1st. This stuff totally Rocks ;-)
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