"Miracle mud" experiment

attml · May 12, 2012

I have decided to try an experiment this year. Every year I always have extra plants left over in my seed tray. I also have a 4 gallon pot that isn't in use at the moment but have used all of my good soil so I have decided to try something a little different.

My father has a little brook that runs down through the woods behind his house then through his yard and eventually into the river. As we get rain throughout the year my dad has to dig out the brook or it eventually fills itself in with sand /mud/dirt runoff and deverts the water from the brook into his yard making a mess. Whenever he finds a spot in his yard that needs some grass patching, he goes over by the creek and shovels up some of the creek mud that he had previously dug out and he uses it to patch the spot that needs it. He then throws down some seed. He always gets some of the healthiest looking grass starting in 2-3 days and it turns into beautiful thick looking grass. Looking at the mud it doesn't look like much. It is kind of a grayish looking brown with some black spots mixed in and looks more sandy than anything. Whatever it has in it grows grass like nuts with no fertilization needed. I amassuming it it just very rich in nutrients from the woods?

For my experiment I have shoveled some creek mud into a 4 gallon pot, added a Eva's Purple Ball plant to it and put it in a sunny spot. It may do absolutely nothing and this may the most boring thread on the board? I am hoping that it will be "miracle mud" and grow at a rate 3 times of all of the stuff I used the expensive soil on! We'll have to see. I will try to post some pictures later.

Mark

kygreg · May 12, 2012

Mark,

Interesting, keep us updated.

Gary

attml · May 12, 2012

Thanks Gary! We'll see what happens? The brook is an overflow from natural springs up in the woods behind my house and my Dad's house and it flows through about 2 acres of woods before it gets to the yard. When it rains I am sure it pulls in all kinds of healthy organic material. I know frogs and crayfish live in the spring area so I the springs have to be fairly clean to support life. Hopefully the plant will do well and I can utilize some more of the mud next year! I spent a little money on soil this year from the store -"dirt cheap" isn't as cheap as it used to be

BTW, not sure if you have looked in the Brandywine from Croatia thread recently? I posted a couple of pictures of a BFC regular leaf and BFC potato leaf that I am growing out this year that came from the seeds that you sent me. Thanks again for those!!!

Mark

kygreg · May 12, 2012

Mark,

I must have shared some Brandywine from Croatia seeds that Ray Newstead sent me as 2012 is the first year I will grow it. I will have to check and see if mine are RL or PL.

Gary

Floridian in Chicago · May 12, 2012

We have a creek running through our property with a small dam that forms a pond. The pond is going to need dredging soon and the engineer we had out here told me the muck is very rich in organic matter and can be used as fertilizer. He also said though that sometimes it must be treated as toxic waste because of contaminants. I would use it on the lawn/landscape plants, but I don't know about on food crops. I'm certainly no expert, just repeating what I was told.

Virginia

Garf · May 12, 2012

Have it tested.

May 12, 2012	#1
attml Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Annapolis, Maryland Posts: 222	"Miracle mud" experiment I have decided to try an experiment this year. Every year I always have extra plants left over in my seed tray. I also have a 4 gallon pot that isn't in use at the moment but have used all of my good soil so I have decided to try something a little different. My father has a little brook that runs down through the woods behind his house then through his yard and eventually into the river. As we get rain throughout the year my dad has to dig out the brook or it eventually fills itself in with sand /mud/dirt runoff and deverts the water from the brook into his yard making a mess. Whenever he finds a spot in his yard that needs some grass patching, he goes over by the creek and shovels up some of the creek mud that he had previously dug out and he uses it to patch the spot that needs it. He then throws down some seed. He always gets some of the healthiest looking grass starting in 2-3 days and it turns into beautiful thick looking grass. Looking at the mud it doesn't look like much. It is kind of a grayish looking brown with some black spots mixed in and looks more sandy than anything. Whatever it has in it grows grass like nuts with no fertilization needed. I amassuming it it just very rich in nutrients from the woods? For my experiment I have shoveled some creek mud into a 4 gallon pot, added a Eva's Purple Ball plant to it and put it in a sunny spot. It may do absolutely nothing and this may the most boring thread on the board? I am hoping that it will be "miracle mud" and grow at a rate 3 times of all of the stuff I used the expensive soil on! We'll have to see. I will try to post some pictures later. Mark

May 12, 2012	#2
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	Mark, Interesting, keep us updated. Gary

May 12, 2012	#5
Floridian in Chicago Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Posts: 6	We have a creek running through our property with a small dam that forms a pond. The pond is going to need dredging soon and the engineer we had out here told me the muck is very rich in organic matter and can be used as fertilizer. He also said though that sometimes it must be treated as toxic waste because of contaminants. I would use it on the lawn/landscape plants, but I don't know about on food crops. I'm certainly no expert, just repeating what I was told. Virginia

May 12, 2012	#6
Garf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Miami, FL. Posts: 442	Have it tested.