So dang confusing!

[A. Lyric]

Eventho' my growing season isn't over, I've pulled every pest and disease ridden plant (i.e., all my plants) from my garden and my sole focus in on planning better for next year.

To that end, I was reading a site listing 12 things to put in a planting hole for peppers. They were:

Bonemeal
Worm Castings
Rockdust
Cow Manure
Green Sand
Egg Shells
Garden Lime
Fish Heads
Epsom Salts
Banana Peels
Coffee Grounds
Match Sticks (match sticks?!)

Fertilizers and soil amendments are a confusing topic. For me. And the above list seems
...irresponsible, maybe? How does this list maker know my soil needs all that stuff?
What harm might be done if you amend with something your soil has plenty of already?

I have or have access to bonemeal, egg shells, epsom salts, banana peels, coffee grounds, and match sticks. But I don't fish, and I don't know what rockdust, garden lime, or green sand is or the benefits of adding it to soil.

And if that list is targeted for peppers, can I assume there's another lengthy list targeted for other vegetables? Does every plant need a tailored list of amendments specifically for that plant?!

I'm trying to read, research, and learn. I want a better garden next year. At one point I tended to go with whatever gardening wind that blew into my ignorant head (which is why I have a worm bin, and why I bought something called biochar at one time), but I'm learning to be skeptical.

Well, I'm trying to!

 

[Meadowlark]

Match sticks? Really? LOL.

The truth is that without a soil test everyone, especially those who recommend synthetic fertilizers, is simply guessing when recommending soil additions. The people, and many do this, that say for example "apply 13-13-13" or "12-24-12" or "33-0-0" without a soil test are simply guessing...and very well may be guessing wrong and doing more harm than good and yes, it is irresponsible, IMO.

Soil tests are invaluable. I don't trust anyone who speaks negatively of soil tests. Some will say they can determine everything you need to know about your soil by watching the plants and without soil tests. That is BS! I have been doing this for over 40 years and I still rely on soil tests. Now, that does not mean you have to run one every day, week, month, year etc. It is situational.

Organics are less prone to be overdone and are very forgiving...but even organics especially when applied indiscriminately can cause problems. I noticed on your list "Rockdust, Garden lime, and eggshells." What if you are planting a veggie that needs a low ph reading and your soil is already reading high ph. Each of those listed will tend to RAISE ph, exactly the opposite of what you might need.

Peppers for example like a neutral to slightly acidic ph of about 5.5 so if your soil ph is higher than that then caution should be used on amendments which raise ph. Ph is important and each veggie has its own preference requirements.

The others listed "bonemeal, worm castings, cow manure, coffee grounds, fish heads, and banana peels".... all of which are generally forgiving except maybe cow manure if it is not composted. Cow manure applied raw can burn plants if too much is applied. Always compost it well first before applying to garden soil. Composting kills pathogens also which you do not want in your veggie garden.

Epsom salts is an interesting one and somewhat mysterious to me. It works on my tomatoes and peppers even though the soils test out fine for calcium and other such elements. It works in my low ph soil and works for @Chuck in his high ph soil. Somewhat of a mystery. I've never had a negative experience with Epsom salts...but not saying it isn't possible, especially when used to the extreme.

The use of cover crops, chop and drop, green manure, compost and crop rotations are all positive techniques that almost 100% of the time enhance your soil regardless of the situation. There are always exceptions, but I have never heard of any of these steps being harmful and in fact have established their value myself through extensive soil testing. In addition, those practices have the added critical benefit of minimizing insect and disease problems.

I'm trying to read, research, and learn. I want a better garden next year. At one point I tended to go with whatever gardening wind that blew into my ignorant head (which is why I have a worm bin, and why I bought something called biochar at one time), but I'm learning to be skeptical.

As you journey through the garden experience, you will learn that just about everything is situational. The phrase "it all depends" is often the best answer. Skepticism is a virtue. The more you learn, the better gardener you will become...and the need for learning never stops.

 

[YumYum]

They will all add certain things to the soil. Depends on what they are made of. Like garden lime will add calcium, magnesium, and carbonates (raises the pH of the soil) but it takes a good while for the lime to break down into these plant usable nutrients. You should know what your soil needs and what you are adding to it before just blindly adding things. I don't add things to my planting holes. I use a compost pile and then amend my soil with it and then till it under in the Spring.

Organic things like fish and cow manure and banana peels need microbes to break them down so planting them or composting them in the cold winter slows down the decomposition process. Epsom salt dissolves in water so it is plant available right then, no waiting on that one. It is also pH neutral. Matches contain sulfur or phosphorus but there isn't enough there to justify using matches.

It takes awhile to learn the many things of gardening and that is part of the fun to me. I'm still learning things too.

 

[A. Lyric]

Soil tests are invaluable.

I dug up my first and--so far--last soil test from 4/21.

PH was 7.1.
Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, were all in the “high” range, with the exception of Potassium, which was in a “very high” range. Organic matter was 10.7%. My soil tested “adequate for vegetables” as it was. (But that summer I decided my vegetables didn't get the memo!)

I also wondered what I'd do if something was “low”. But maybe if something is low they tell you how to fix it. I'll be getting another soil test I guess this spring.

I had no idea if 10.7% organic matter was good or bad, and the line beside it was Neutr.Acidity: 0.0 meg/CEC: 21.1 meq, which was
absolute Greek to me then and still is.

Another thing I've wondered...I have two raised beds. Is that two soil tests? I treat them the same, but what's planted in them isn't the same so no doubt their effects on the soil aren't the same, either.

Also, Nitrogen wasn't even mentioned, and I didn't understand that.

 

[Meadowlark]

I dug up my first and--so far--last soil test from 4/21.

PH was 7.1.

Ok, that is on the high side for peppers so don't add lime, rockdust etc if you want peppers there. There are online references that list out the veggie and its ph requirement. Suggest you use one of those and keep it handy.

Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, were all in the “high” range, with the exception of Potassium, which was in a “very high” range. Organic matter was 10.7%. My soil tested “adequate for vegetables” as it was. (But that summer I decided my vegetables didn't get the memo!)

LOL that all sounds ok...I would prefer more organic matter but you will get that if you use cover crops and manure as we have discussed previously for next spring.

I also wondered what I'd do if something was “low”. But maybe if something is low they tell you how to fix it. I'll be getting another soil test I guess this spring.

Most labs will recommend an amount of fertilizer per 100 sq ft (or some other area) if an element is low. Be sure to tell them this soil is for a small garden area of X sq. ft.

I had no idea if 10.7% organic matter was good or bad, and the line beside it was Neutr.Acidity: 0.0 meg/CEC: 21.1 meq, which was
absolute Greek to me then and still is.

Another thing I've wondered...I have two raised beds. Is that two soil tests? I treat them the same, but what's planted in them isn't the same so no doubt their effects on the soil aren't the same, either.

I would take samples of soil from each bed, mix it thoroughly and then get your soil sample for the lab from that mixture...unless you are targeting one bed for some specific veggie with unusual nutrient requirements/ph in which case you might test them separately.

Also, Nitrogen wasn't even mentioned, and I didn't understand that.

I absolutely do NOT understand that. They should report nitrate (N3-n), Ammonium, and Total nitrogen (N). Maybe you missed it?

Very important to know the nitrogen levels. You may want to consider a different lab.

I use "MySoil" and they post your results in your online secure account. They also provide a "nutrient density" score for your sample which I find very informative.

 

[YumYum]

Here is something you can read on and let it absorb as time allows it to sink in. And yes it can be very confusing. This is who my local COOP uses.

http://www.waypointanalytical.com/Docs/technicalarticles/howtointerpretasoiltestreport.pdf

 

[A. Lyric]

Like garden lime

One section of the soil test results is "Fertilizer & Limestone Recommendations”.

Alongside “Recommendations for Vegetables” it lists Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potash, Zinc, Sulfur,
and Lime. Under each of those is a zero, except for Zinc and Sulfur. There's not even a zero under those two, it's blank.

(I was wrong when I said the soil results didn't mention Nitrogen, because I do see Nitrogen mentioned in that section.)

I've been adding the bunny berries from one prolific pet rabbit to my garden, along with any dead leaves I can rake up in the fall. So now I'm wondering if the bunny berries are a mistake because I think they have a lot of nitrogen.

 

[A. Lyric]

LOL that all sounds ok...I would prefer more organic matter but you will get that if you use cover crops and manure as we have discussed previously for next spring.

I just came inside from watering those beds where Outsidepride Crimson Clover, Outsidepride White Dutch Clover, and Elbon Rye seeds
were spread day before yesterday! I think I need to do that two, maybe even three times a day to make sure they stay good and moist because it seems to dry out under them pretty quickly. But I'm ON IT!

 

[A. Lyric]

Here is something you can read on and let it absorb as time allows it to sink in. And yes it can be very confusing. This is who my local COOP uses.
http://www.waypointanalytical.com/Docs/technicalarticles/howtointerpretasoiltestreport.pdf

I've barely scanned it and I'm concerned about the "very high levels" on my report. Where before I thought very high must be a good thing. I've downloaded it for when I have time to focus on it and read in its entirety. Thank you so much, YumYum!!

 

[A. Lyric]

I absolutely do NOT understand that. They should report nitrate (N3-n), Ammonium, and Total nitrogen (N). Maybe you missed it?

It's on the report under recommendations. I did miss it, expecting it to be in the first section. My mistake. But there's
no Ammonium on the report anywhere.

What percentage should organic matter be, ideally?

 

[YumYum]

I've barely scanned it and I'm concerned about the "very high levels" on my report. Where before I thought very high must be a good thing. I've downloaded it for when I have time to focus on it and read in its entirety. Thank you so much, YumYum!!

One thing about clay soils is they usually have plenty of phosphorus and once phosphorus there, it doesn't really move out so very high levels of phosphorus can easily occur. Manure does add plenty of phosphorus.

When you get very high levels of something, it can outcompete another nutrient for uptake. That is where the CEC equation steps in to calculate the right ratio for calcium, magnesium, and potassium (I think or maybe sulfur?). I'd have to go back and reread that material myself.

 

[Meadowlark]

It's on the report under recommendations. I did miss it, expecting it to be in the first section. My mistake. But there's
no Ammonium on the report anywhere.

What percentage should organic matter be, ideally?

I don't know that there is any hard and fast number in science.

I have seen it depend on the beliefs of the person/organization giving the number. That is to say, someone who does not believe in the value of organic matter may say 2% is fine for example. Myself, I am a huge believer in the importance of organic matter as it correlates to the eventual nutrient density of the produce. Your value of 10% is probably above average...but I like higher in the 15 to 20% range, and you should see that after incorporating green manure from your covers in spring.

I don't have the academics to know the exact mathematical relationship of % organic matter in soil to nutrient density in produce (and doubt that anyone has) ...but I deal in nutrient density scores with my lab, not % organic matter. Like you said it can be confusing and one reason for that is because there is still much we don't know.

On nitrogen...it can be a dynamic number and vary considerably depending on environmental factors such as rainfall. Lots of water dilutes the nitrogen from the soil. Nitrogen levels measured in the fall will almost certainly be different than nitrogen levels in the soil at planting time in the spring and that is when it really counts. I like to see my garden soil above 32 ppm starting a growing season. I have tested soil that grew a potato crop in soil that tested 36 ppm at the start and tested out at 3 ppm after harvest... or virtually depleted in nitrogen. Also, of interest, I have tested my home-grown compost at 36 ppm and hence often use it as a side dressing to veggies during an extended growing season to eliminate the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer.

 

[redback]

Pests are more the result of absence of predators, and disease at the end of season, is normal as the plants finish their life cycle.
The latest soil science says that soils have got plenty of everything but need an active microbial life to make the nutrition available to the plants. The way to get life in the soil is to grow a multi-species green manure or cover crop and slash it as soon as the winter temperatures start to rise. You can also let the weeds grow and fork them in four weeks before planting spring crops. I normally produce my own compost and add all those other things like wood ash, worm castings (and worms), cow manure, eggshells and coffee grounds to the compost. This compost is made the previous Spring and then spread on the decayed green manure before planting.
Nutrient availability is also dependent on soil acidity. pH testers are cheap and easy, and you adjust the pH using lime to get a higher reading and sulfur to get a lower one. pH of 6.5 is considered the best reading for vegetables.
Soil life can be encouraged by making cheap fungal and bacteria mixtures. These are called inoculants and can be made for a low cost and applied to the planting holes and every two weeks thereafter to the soil.
Pests are best deterred by encouraging ladybirds, praying mantis, birds, frogs and lizards etc. to come to your poison free garden full of trees, flowers and water features.
I tried to make it sound simple but it's not simple.

 

[A. Lyric]

I tried to make it sound simple but it's not simple.

What you have described is a healthy balance in one's garden. A beautiful, simple concept, easier to grasp than to achieve to my satisfaction. Had I known at the start all that I did not know, I might not have started. It's good that the staggering depth of my ignorance was revealed slowly.

I remember speaking to someone re gardening who interrupted me rather sternly to say, “Dirt is what's in your vacuum cleaner bag. Soil is what's in your garden.” It was almost a scolding and I've never forgotten it, although I've forgotten who it was I was talking to, lol.

My veggies might have limped along another few weeks, but I put them out of their misery and put my faith in Meadowlark's cover crop suggestions. I seeded it a mere three days ago but this morning I can already see the teeniest bits of green here and there!

No, I don't have a great balance between pests and predators, although I make a fair predator. I noticed a squash bug on a tomato plant once and asked it if it was lost since there was a squash plant nearby. But I noticed even more “lost” squash bugs which confused me. So I took a pic, Googled, and met the “stink bug”. I've come to dislike them far more than squash bugs!

I do have a lot of birds about, and I hear frogs croaking at night. But I've never seen a lizard. I've seen exactly one little praying mantis all summer. We were at eye level and it turned a teeny, triangle-shaped head to look squarely at me but it didn't run off. I thought it was adorable and tried to convince it to hang out with the squash bugs and learn how to multiply fast and furious.

Peppermint oil is a deterrent for certain bugs, so I once hung cotton balls in the garden and tried to keep them sprayed with peppermint oil. Squash eggs actually showed up on a cotton ball. So apparently it's not a squash bug deterrent. It worked great in keeping random wasps from visiting my sun porch, but the sun pretty much dried up my cotton ball inspiration.

Soil inoculations is a new-to-me intriguing idea, so I've put it in my garden notebook as something I wanna know more about. Regardless of the frustrations, regardless of all that I don't know, the uncooperative weather, and seemingly unending challenges, I've never felt like giving up. There's always more to hope for, to do, to try, and to learn.

And there's always that measure of...gratitude. On a 1-10 scale, I'd give this summer's garden a 4. But the garlic did great, I've made some wonderful squash casseroles, froze some squash and peppers, have sweet potatoes curing, and shared a ton of delightful Sun Sugar tomatoes. So there's that!

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Benefits of match sticks in the garden