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Old February 17, 2013   #6
Redbaron
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zeroma View Post
thanks Scott. Good questions...since I haven't had my soil tested yet (I'm growing mainly in containers due to "I can't even dig in my clay soil on my hill, even with my pick axe) I'd only be guessing at those answers. I had added a lot of organic material in the areas I've been growing flowers and some tomatoes in already and it is wonderful to work in. I'll be testing both sites in my yard to compare them more for my own curiosity than anything. I want to know I've done some good in fighting the clay soil.

When you find out, remember you are looking for about a 5% carbon in the a layer (can be much higher in the O level), 10-1 to 11-1 C-N ratio and at least 1 foot A layer. If you have that, most clays will be quite productive. The soil test will let you know for sure though.

Also remember as a general rule it is much easier to get 6 inches of good soil and gradually work your way down to 1 foot through worms and leaching, than to try and use amendments dug in and repair all 1 foot at once.

Another general rule of thumb is if you harvest 50 pounds of tomatoes or whatever, then you need to feed the life in the soil 30-40 pounds of compost, mulches, cover crops etc..... This can give you a general rule of thumb to know if you are feeding the soil too little or too much.
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Scott

AKA The Redbaron

"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system."
Bill Mollison
co-founder of permaculture
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