Starting a veg garden...(I'm going to try to keep this short lol)
Tested soil...7.0 ph...NO nutrients...lol
not quite NO nutrients...nitrates virtually non exisistant...test 3X and called A&M extention and they said it's probably right...something to do with soil type, last real rain being a hurricane and that being more than a year ago now. (horrible draught)
Phos and pot low...
Now it's my understanding that the 7.0 is okay for most veg's...
Should I just add a 10-10-10 or what would anyone recommend to get started here? Also my soil is pretty sandy...should I add peat or something for added water retention? I have no compost started (organic gardening is not a must for me though)...I am using beds so, if you give me an amount PLEASE tell me the amount for square foot or 4X4 ft or something like that because I don't know acres lol...
Thanks you sssssssooo much for any help you can give me...I am at such a loss...I feel like I'm just drowning in information from this article and that but, no real concrete answers from anyone whose gotten their hands dirty. Please ask questions so I can fill in any blanks because I'm not even sure what info to give to get advice...lol...
Hugs,
Jamie
Advice needed for humble novice PLEASE
Jamie, just to get this thread started - I'd probably pick up some nice organic material like cow manure, which I've seen for sale in places like Home Depot, and put a 11/2 or 2 inch layer of it over your beds and dig it in a little. That will help with moisture retention and build up some nutrients. I'm not sure what to tell you about the pH level; our soil tends to be both sandy and acidic, so we used lime and other basic additives, but by now compost from our chickens, yard and household waste adds enough organic matter to keep things humming.
Re amounts, I don't know how many beds you have, but I'd start with one or two bags of the manure and see how far you get; that will let you know how much more you need.
You'll also need some sort of mulch if it's that dry. People use newspaper and/or grass clippings sometimes. Straw tends to be too weedy.
Hopefully there will be some other people responding with more ideas!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1029448/
Jamie look at this thread. It also applies to you. You have a mild climate like me and anything you can work into your soil now will be well decomposed by time to plant in the new year. Cardboard and newspapers work too but don't leave them exposed on the surface or they'll wick the water out of your soil. The more organic matter, the better water retention. Acorns and pine bark hold water well if you can ever get them saturated to start with.
The composted cow manure they sell around here can be planted in immediately. If you read on the bag, the nutrient level is very low. It's nothing like the fresh kind but does offer some soil conditioning. Once you get some goodies in your bed and get it good and moist, go dig some worms or buy some fishing worms. They're one of a gardeners best friends. They turn your amendments into fertilizer and their tunnels aerate the soil which helps your plant roots. Just keep adding mulch so they'll stay.
I know you are anxious to get started so just do it. You've still got time for Southern peas, snap beans, summer squash and all the cole crops. I use a bit of everything for fertilizer. I can't get enough organic stuff so I also use triple 8, 10 or 13. As you build your soil, it takes less fertilizer. Your numbers indicate a bit of lime would be good on an annual basis. 2 cups of fertilizer equals 1 lb. I scoop it into a large coffee can, add 3 heaping TBS. of epsom salts like you get at the drug store and generally have decent luck with my plants. It will kill young plants or seeds if it touches them. A good rule is to put out fertilizer a week or two ahead of planting seeds. For plants, I get out from them about 3" with a band of fertilizer and cover it with soil. If you don't cover it, a lot of the nitrogen escapes into the air.
Good luck.
Jamie, you're less than 20 miles from me. I have property south of you (We have Island property too, but I garden on the mainland in Bayview). Come see my gardens, I've taken horrible soil to good soil, I even have earthworms. I can help you with when to plant (our growing season is difficult to understand to people who don't live here), what to add and where to pick up stuff you will need.
Dmail me and I'll give you my phone number.
Here is a pic of me in the small garden, taken last January.
PS, did you guys get rain? Harlingen got a good rain Saturday, but we didn't get a drop.
Jamie you're in luck indeed! Calalily knows the answers.
mrsjamiep, yep, go visit Calalily! Everytime I see photos of her garden I just sigh and want that too!
Like you I am working on a new garden (veg and flower). I'm not really a newbie but not quite an intermediate gardener and totally new to this zone. I have been doing all of the usual stuff but am starting in the middle of an extablished hay field to I have Bahai to contend with. Someone on this forum suggested lasagne gardening and I bought one of the books to help me get started. I've got one bed set and cooking while the others a simply tilled and ammended and tilled again. I think the lasagne might work out for me so maybe you might want to check it out. The books are on Amazon or at Borders or some such bookstore available in your area.
Good luck to you and have fun (most important)!
Green, Twiggy and Terri,
Thanks So very much for all the helpful info and taking the time to give me hints. You guys are very special to do that for me just starting out. It makes me feel like I'm not in this alone. That thread is really cool Twig - ooooo is she organized - neat that she kept track to pass it on to others that are new too.
Calla,
Hugs and kisses! lol Yes, we are in an Odd climate that seems like it would just be the next Zone down but, is so very different. I've been looking at the A&M charts for this area for the whens on different veggies but, it will be nice to have a real live person who's actually put their fingers in the dirt here to guide me on that.
Rain? What's Rain? Friday or Sat. I heard a sound and thought what's that ...turned in my chair and looked out the window thought oooo rain...and it stopped...yep 30 seconds worth...that's it...one little, black, lonely cloud and that's it for us. Not even enough to connect the dots on the ground...My dh was in Harlingen when it rained he said he got out and stood in it lol.
I dmailed you...now that I think of it I could have sent my number...lol...jeez...I'll just wait to hear from you...Okay embarassingly, I'm just a little rediculously excited...
Hugs,
Jamie
Jamie, I thought we were getting rain this morning. A little gray cloud came over, the temp dropped, the wind blew cool.......we got about 10 or 12 drops.
I sent a Dmail with my number. If you come over, be prepared to go home with melons!
Jamie came by for a visit. It was great to meet another Valley gardener! Of course our place is a mess, we're installing a massive irrigation system and it looks like we had giant voles or gophers digging everywhere. Bud took a photo of us, which I will post in a little while.
We got rain finally, but of course now the piles of dirt are mud so I have to go help fill the trenches.
Do post the photo when you get a chance. I work so much I really can't get out to meet you great folks....but a photo lets me dream that some day..... =)