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I had arranged for a friend of mine to swing by with his Kubota to do 2 new planting holes & to deep till the patch. His wife went & popped out their new son (God Bless) & he had to delay the patch. Understood. He calls me today as I'm driving out to see a client & announces he's standing in my patch..........I describe about what I had in mind.....

Three hours later I find 2 craters each about 4 feet deep 6 feet wide by 8 feet long. He's backing a dump truck up to one of them & dumps about 5 yards of fairly fresh dairy Cow Manure into it.

We ran out of sunlight so I have a trailer, Kubota L3600 with backhoe & a sweet 3 point hitch tiller sitting in the patch for the night.

I know he meant well, but what in God's name have I gotten myself into? This is more than a minor fall patch amendment going on here now. And all this fresh manure has me nervous....We'll get it all blended in the light of a new day....but...

Any thoughts or comments?

Steve

11/24/2003 9:28:15 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

"popped out their new son".....good way to get into trouble with the ladies there Steve :0)
too funny....

11/24/2003 10:25:02 PM

San Diego, Ca.

Steve, sounds alot like my patch.....no need to do a soil test....you saw what mine looked like!

11/25/2003 12:44:22 AM

Southern WI

I spent 3 days cleaning a friends chicken coop. Found a pickup to use, loaded the ENTIRE back end and it began to rain. It's not dryed enough to till since and now we're into freezing weather. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. good luck !

11/25/2003 1:58:26 AM

Deer Park, WI

Steve- I think you are headed in the right direction. Putting this much heart into your patch this time of year will make your pumpkins huge next summer. I went through the same thing this fall...added loads of leaves, manure, had a subsoiler come out. I am excited as can be for next spring.

Getting that manure blended in is a good idea. By spring, it will be ready to go. Its reassuring to see people spending more time getting their dirt in shape than worrying about how they are gonna find a 582 801 845 and 723. Keep up the good work.

11/25/2003 8:52:36 AM

[email protected]

Thanks for the reassurances folks. Joze, you're right. Do it now or wish we had later I guess. Thank God for great friends. Stubborn Tom wouldn't even let me pay for the diesel.

Those mass graves are now full of almost 6 yards of manure & the already 20.9% organic matter soil that was my patch before. I'd say they were biggest planting holes I've ever seen. I could have planted a 30" caliper tree in those things!

We also brought up sandy clay from about the 26"- 40" subsoil profile I never knew was there. Just for the heck of it we also pulled my oldest 8 year accumulation of grass clippings & leaves from the area where the last Catalpa Tree was removed last week. There was more than I thought. about 18 buckets or another 6 yards (small tractor).

Since it rained last night my neighbors lawn (bless her heart) is absolute TOAST. Looks like a bloody tank brigade went through her yard. I wonder how Winter Rye will blend with the Bluegrass I had planted for her last year?

The things we do to grow Pumpkins!

Steve

11/25/2003 2:31:58 PM

So. Maine

Steve, thier gonna grow or thier BLOW ! Good luck.....Al

11/26/2003 1:10:34 AM

Puyallup, WA

You're a man after my own heart! There's nothing like the smell of fresh cow sh*t in the morning! :>) That ought to bring in the worms!!

11/26/2003 1:41:22 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Steve - I know that you are a big fan of calcined clay...but since this will be nearly all organic how about using some vermiculite to add some air?


Just a thought

11/26/2003 12:49:13 PM

[email protected]

Good idea. I was only half way to my total calcined clay percent goal before all this. I won't have access to the King Kutter again right away, but maybe I can get both Perlite & SoilMaster mixed in with my own tiller before the ground freezes. It get's down about 8-10". I didn't have all the Lime & Gypsum that I needed on hand yesterday either. And today was spent tidying up loose ends at work & painting our antique porch (YUK!) while the truck was in the shop.
Between the rain, all the clay we pulled up & the manure, things are pretty sticky right now. Maybe next week if the weather cooperates.

Steve

11/26/2003 5:41:30 PM

[email protected]

Correction. The Kubota was a B21. Nice little bugger.

11/26/2003 5:42:36 PM