A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.
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August 27, 2014 | #76 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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Luckily, none real close to my garden areas. I've been chopping little volunteers around the house all week. I started a new thread regarding my soil tests. |
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August 27, 2014 | #77 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NJ, zone 7
Posts: 3,162
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Tracy, my grandma grew English walnut tree. The shells were so thing, I was able to put two in my hands and press one against the other to crack.
But cleaning them from the green skin was not an easy task. Since I was impatient, my hands would get all black and my mom would be not pleased. School was starting at about the same time. Good old times... sorry for changing topic again On the topic, I know that even paper can be used to build the soil, even grow mushrooms. Newspapers have to much ink, magazines as well. Boxes picked from local stores can be used for that. Maybe...
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Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!” |
August 28, 2014 | #78 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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There was a time when newspaper inks had toxic chemicals in them. That's where this myth got started. But actually the printer's unions are quite strong and the inks used today are much safer due to pressure from the union to protect worker safety.
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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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August 28, 2014 | #79 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NJ, zone 7
Posts: 3,162
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Thank you, Scott, that is good to know.
How do you use it?
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Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!” |
August 28, 2014 | #80 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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I use a lot of newspaper. Seems like I'm always running out!
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August 28, 2014 | #81 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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In pricing treated lumber to make raised beds, cutting down trees to use instead would save me a lot of money.
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August 28, 2014 | #82 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 4,350
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I pick up appliance boxes from the dumpster behind the appliance store and lay them out flat in the garden between rows or where I want to smother the vegetation. They break down over the course of the Summer and then you can till them in or put wood chips on top of them if you want.
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carolyn k |
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August 28, 2014 | #83 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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I lay it 6 layers thick right on the sod or soil in a strip 1-4 feet wide. Then I cover it with mulch, hay, straw, grass clippings, or wood chips.
If the crop needs planted in "cultivated" soil, I make the strips one foot wide with just a couple inches of cultivated soil between and plant the seeds in that furrow. If I am planting tomato, broccoli, pepper, or any similar seedlings, I make the strips 2 feet wide and plant right through the mulch and paper, letting grass grow between the rows. I also sometimes make wider beds for sprawling fruits and vegetables like melons.
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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 |
August 28, 2014 | #84 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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August 31, 2014 | #85 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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I posted this on the thread about my soil test results but for those of you not on there, you might find this interesting:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/...cs142p2_033488 |
September 9, 2014 | #86 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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September 10, 2014 | #87 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake
Posts: 1,244
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I drive 4 foot tall wooden stakes into the soil in various places in my garden. They are adored as roosting places by several species of birds who deposit free fertilizer. If I didn't drive in the stakes the birds wouldn't sit in my garden, and the nutrients would be gifted to someplace outside my loop. The stakes essentially allow me to bring in nutrients from outside my loop.
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September 10, 2014 | #88 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 692
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Quote:
I allowed the squirrels to bury stuff in the garden, this forms a surround of Jugalone and nothing grows in the vicinity of the nuts. Then next year they try to dig them up, scattering seeds everywhere Some plants are susceptible and won't grow due to 'Walnut wilt', a major problem. |
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September 10, 2014 | #89 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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September 10, 2014 | #90 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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