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ontario

My question's are...how important is organic matter content...2%..5%...10%...20%...how much is too much and how much is too little....granular vs foliar.....clay soil vs sandy soil...cold water vs warm water....well water vs stream..river...lake....small plant vs large plant....

11/6/2002 5:56:32 PM

Indiana

Wayne,
3% OM, clay soil, well water, 1200-1300 sq feet.

That is what we have to work with.........

Tom Beachy

11/6/2002 10:45:20 PM

Caceres, Spain

Good question, but if you already got a 779.5, I guess you know a good answer as well.
In my humble opinion, you can find nice patchs with 2% OM and also with 20%, in sand or clay, with well, stream, pond or urban water, with 500 sq ft plants or 3000, but... Better organic than mineral, radicular than foliar, warm than cold.
The only thing I would remark is that in sandy soils with little OM, you have to take more care with additions and be more constant in fertirrigation.

11/7/2002 1:36:55 AM

Caceres, Spain

If you want to improve your patch, the best agricultural soil in the world is in the Nile Delta (Egipt). Black silt that waters brought for thousand years from distant Aethiopic Mountains. I would like to order a full ship of it.

11/7/2002 1:43:29 AM

Puyallup, WA

Don,
I see that you haven't visited Brett Hestor's patch!

11/7/2002 2:12:26 AM

Connecticut, USA

It took several years but I finally got my patch over 10% this season. I also grew my personal best at 840.

11/7/2002 6:09:01 AM

colorado

Stan can you post a pic of Brett's patch.. I wanna see his soil.... I guess it sounds amazing!!!!!!

11/7/2002 8:07:20 AM

Puyallup, WA

Sorry Steve...I do not have a digital pix of his patch. Brett lurks about...perhaps he might post a pix. Anyway, his soil is perfect sandy loam with very high organic content. Not a rock within 100 feet of his patch!

11/7/2002 10:38:46 AM

Key West, FL

I would also pick Brett Hesters soil, it looks like a big feild of black potting soil.

11/7/2002 5:57:41 PM

Caceres, Spain

We can organize a travel agency: "Exciting Soils Tours".
Talking about little patchs and driming... The farmers who live in Lake Atitlan shores (It is in Guatemala and is said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world) make their garden soil picking silt from the lake bottom and waterweeds from the surface in their little boats, and putting them in layers one over the other. They do it every year and for centuries. Can you imagine the result? Their vegetables are amazing and superhealthy, they don't use chemicals; don't need them at all.
Oh!, talking about soils...

11/8/2002 12:45:36 AM