AbbeyLehman
08-20-2009, 09:36 PM
Haven't been here for a while (shame on me), have lots going on and my favorite forums tend to be the things neglected first. I hope everyone can forgive me. :)
A bit of background:
I built 8 raised beds for this year and searched for affordable soil to fill them, since I didn't have NEARLY enough compost. Found an ad on craigslist from a local landscaping company for $5/cubic yard compost. I didn't think it would actually be compost at that price, maybe just garden soil-compost-wannabe, but it was cheap enough that I could fill all my beds at once and get busy planting.
I knew right away when he brought it that it wasn't compost, but i didn't suspect anything else at that point. My husband and I worked long and hard filling the beds for the next week...As I would dump the 5 gallon buckets into the beds and smooth it out, I started noticing how much clay I was pulling out. And quite a few rocks. Still didn't sink in, as we were late planting and were just trying to get it done. We planted over the next week and weather permitted and relaxed, excited to see what would await us each morning.
We waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
ZERO growth. Nothing. The plants weren't growing, but they weren't dying, either. Seeds would sprout, grow a couple of inches, then turn brown and die. We replanted a couple of separate times, knowing we wouldn't achieve maximum yields, but hoping for *something*. We got diddly.
I FINALLY (big DUH moment) bought a soil testing kit and used it. The pH was GREAT, right at the point for most veggies. The 3 big nutrients, however, were missing. Not low--not there at all! You had to strain to see any color at all. DH now refers to the soil as "radioactive" (not really, but funny). I added a BUNCH of Miracle Gro (I know, bad--but it needed something NOW, and I was hoping to save at least a little of it) and I was rewarded with a little growth, but then nothing after that.
I am now left pondering what I can do between now and next spring to "fix" this soil (no WAY I'm moving it all again!!) so that we actually get more than 4 sugar snaps peas and some dead bean plants.
Please :( :( :(
I'm thinking of adding Black Kow bagged compost, greensand, bone meal, blood meal, all the compost I have....and what else?
Thanks for your help....
Abbey
A bit of background:
I built 8 raised beds for this year and searched for affordable soil to fill them, since I didn't have NEARLY enough compost. Found an ad on craigslist from a local landscaping company for $5/cubic yard compost. I didn't think it would actually be compost at that price, maybe just garden soil-compost-wannabe, but it was cheap enough that I could fill all my beds at once and get busy planting.
I knew right away when he brought it that it wasn't compost, but i didn't suspect anything else at that point. My husband and I worked long and hard filling the beds for the next week...As I would dump the 5 gallon buckets into the beds and smooth it out, I started noticing how much clay I was pulling out. And quite a few rocks. Still didn't sink in, as we were late planting and were just trying to get it done. We planted over the next week and weather permitted and relaxed, excited to see what would await us each morning.
We waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
ZERO growth. Nothing. The plants weren't growing, but they weren't dying, either. Seeds would sprout, grow a couple of inches, then turn brown and die. We replanted a couple of separate times, knowing we wouldn't achieve maximum yields, but hoping for *something*. We got diddly.
I FINALLY (big DUH moment) bought a soil testing kit and used it. The pH was GREAT, right at the point for most veggies. The 3 big nutrients, however, were missing. Not low--not there at all! You had to strain to see any color at all. DH now refers to the soil as "radioactive" (not really, but funny). I added a BUNCH of Miracle Gro (I know, bad--but it needed something NOW, and I was hoping to save at least a little of it) and I was rewarded with a little growth, but then nothing after that.
I am now left pondering what I can do between now and next spring to "fix" this soil (no WAY I'm moving it all again!!) so that we actually get more than 4 sugar snaps peas and some dead bean plants.
Please :( :( :(
I'm thinking of adding Black Kow bagged compost, greensand, bone meal, blood meal, all the compost I have....and what else?
Thanks for your help....
Abbey