2021 garden season

[Goinwheelin]

I was done using the germination closet for the season, and already thinking about how I would upgrade it for next year. Then the wife grabbed one of those hummingbird flower packs at the store Sunday. That means green light to to experiment.

$12 wal mart grow lights mounted to a wal mart shop light. I already had the shop light in there but it wasn’t quite enough

 

[5backacres]

Anyone ever used AZOMITE Natural Trace Mineral in the garden? After growing garden 40 yrs in the same space using cow manure with decomposed woodchips, I'm wondering if trace minerals might be needed. I keep PH in check creatively using different nitrogen fertilizers and lime. Used mushroom compost on the asparagus last year and the spears seemed to taste sweeter compared to store bought but the wife thinks it's because we eat it fresh just picked. How about kelp? Has anyone tasted a difference in their produce after using kelp?

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

For the most part there's good soil around or good enough make soil but there's also the clay and glacial moraines to deal with at times. Can be more rock than dirt. Then there's permafrost in other areas. Places that haven't seen daylight in 10,000 years. That's the fun stuff, dig a hole and hit ice

I've hit ice in July to the point I needed a frost bucket to dig.

 

[farmer steve]

Anyone ever used AZOMITE Natural Trace Mineral in the garden? After growing garden 40 yrs in the same space using cow manure with decomposed woodchips, I'm wondering if trace minerals might be needed. I keep PH in check creatively using different nitrogen fertilizers and lime. Used mushroom compost on the asparagus last year and the spears seemed to taste sweeter compared to store bought but the wife thinks it's because we eat it fresh just picked. How about kelp? Has anyone tasted a difference in their produce after using kelp?

Depending on what crop your growing as to the need for micronutrients. You need to look at each crop requirements. If you do a search look for commercial vegetable nutrient recommendations.

 

[5backacres]

Depending on what crop your growing as to the need for micronutrients. You need to look at each crop requirements. If you do a search look for commercial vegetable nutrient recommendations.

Just looking for people's results who've applied AZo or kelp.... have 30 fruit trees 100 ft each seedless grapes,black raspberries, black berries, 200ft red raspberries, 12 high bush blueberries, 100sqft asparagus, 50x100ft garden 3 nut trees and a whole lot of work ! But we each out fresh of the garden all summer.
Steve what are you using as pre-emerg on your asparagus?
Thanks

 

[sonny580]

I use horse manure here just because thats what is located within 12 mile radius of me ------do not know that its any better that other manures but its whats available here. I would use whatever I could find.
My main reason for using it is to help loosen the ground and keep it loose so water and air can get to the plant roots.
have the hotbed expanded and ready to plant. also have the rain tanks set up for the season.
Almost have tractor ready for the big tiller ---- onion plants coming in a week or two.

 

[farmer steve]

Just looking for people's results who've applied AZo or kelp.... have 30 fruit trees 100 ft each seedless grapes,black raspberries, black berries, 200ft red raspberries, 12 high bush blueberries, 100sqft asparagus, 50x100ft garden 3 nut trees and a whole lot of work ! But we each out fresh of the garden all summer.
Steve what are you using as pre-emerg on your asparagus?
Thanks

You can use preen on your asparagus but it must be done before you see any spears. I use some other stuff also but to expensive for the home gardner. You can also use 2,4,d amine post emergence. but you have to use caution as it can produce crooked spears and there is a 3 day phi. As with any herbicide or insecticide, READ THE LABEL.

 

[muddstopper]

If you had to choose between horse or cow manure in your garden what would you use and why?. I have plenty of both that I can get but some people say cow or horse but don’t have a specific reason why. I have always wondered

Which manure is better just depends on what the horse or cow have been eating. Cows on pasture and hay generally have manure that has a higher potassium level, where as cow manure out of a feed lot, which have been fed grain, will have higher phosphorous levels. Horse poop from horses that are stabled are usually also fed grain and hay and will contain higher Phos levels. Cow poop is usually wetter and will break down in the soil faster than horse poop, which usually comes out as biscuts and take longer to break down, but the nutrient levels are generally more balanced than cow poop. Not entirely sure about the nitrogen levels, memory being what it is, I believe horse poop has the higher nitrogen. If you want high nitrogen, then go for the chicken poop or sheep, or the highest nitrogen would be in Alpaca poop. Alpacas make it convenient to gather since every one in the field will used the same spot to poop in, resulting in large piles. Adding any poop to your garden every year will eventually raise the salt levels to where all the veggies will become bitter so its better to compost the manures before using.

 

[muddstopper]

I looked it up,

Horse Manure vs. Cow Manure | Home Guides | SF Gate​

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/horse-manure-vs-cow-manure-80461.htmlA unit of dried horse manure is made up of 2.3 percent nitrogen, while dairy cow waste has 1.3 percent nitrogen in the equivalent amount. Beef cow manure falls somewhere in between, at 1.7 percent ...

 

[Del_]

Do some research on using human urine in the garden. The book 'Liquid Gold' is a good read. We've been using it in the garden for 40 years in fact, put some down today on onion and broccoli and cabbage plants. I dilute one gallon of urine with 8 gallons of water in a 55 gallon barrel and use a sump pump to pressure a garden hose and apply to the root zone.

 

[muddstopper]

Urine is pretty high in Urea nitrogen. Urea has a tendency to gas off and convert to ammonium nitrogen. This gassing ammonium conversion has been proven to reduce yields by as much 50% of new seedings. Urine should be diluted by around 900% to reduce the potency of the Urea and reduce the damaging gassing off effect as well as to prevent nitrogen burn. If you have ever seen dog spots of dead grass in your lawn, this is similar to the effect that Urine can have on you vegetable plants.

 

[Del_]

Urine is pretty high in Urea nitrogen. Urea has a tendency to gas off and convert to ammonium nitrogen. This gassing ammonium conversion has been proven to reduce yields by as much 50% of new seedings. Urine should be diluted by around 900% to reduce the potency of the Urea and reduce the damaging gassing off effect as well as to prevent nitrogen burn. If you have ever seen dog spots of dead grass in your lawn, this is similar to the effect that Urine can have on you vegetable plants.

I've had no problems mixing 8/1 and have been doing it for almost 40 years. I also have a soil injector but seldom use it.

Urine works great and is a great organic source of nutrients.

Have you anything positive to say about it's use?

I highly recommend it. I grow sweet corn and do very well with no fertilizers other than urine. Corn can take 6/1 with no signs of damage other than green , lush growth.

 

[sonny580]

I put 200 pounds per acre of urea in early spring on my winter wheat and it works great. top quality grain, heavy straw, and high yields. Whatever the wheat dont use,---- the corn will use the following year. Not cheap to do 45 acres, but always pays in the end. We do 3 crop rotation on the farm . in the garden, the onions and sweetcorn go in the same place every year with a lot of compost and fertilizer added every year.
Our sweetcorn looks like Del's! lol!! makin me hungry just lookin at the pix!

 

[muddstopper]

I've had no problems mixing 8/1 and have been doing it for almost 40 years. I also have a soil injector but seldom use it.

Urine works great and is a great organic source of nutrients.

Have you anything positive to say about it's use?

I highly recommend it. I grow sweet corn and do very well with no fertilizers other than urine. Corn can take 6/1 with no signs of damage other than green , lush growth.

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I didnt say not to use it, and if used correctly it can increase yields, just that if used at the time of planting, or on very young plants, it can cause a 50% reduction of crop yield. Appling on a already established crop or plants, or banded into the soil and not in direct contact with the plants, like wheat or corn, is different than applying the urea in direct contact with the seed. Do you know of any wheat or corn growers that apply urea into the same rows as the seed at time of planting. Any Urea applied in spring will have already went thru the nitrogen/ammonium conversions by the time the wheat is harvested and the corn is planted. Plants cannot use Urea, it is only when it goes thru the ammonium, nitrate, nitride conversions that a plant can take it up into its roots and leaves. Urea can convert to ammonium in less than 24 hours, all it takes is a little moisture and a little heat, and in 24 hrs you can lose half of your just planted or newly emergent crop. Seeds do not need any fertilizer to germinate, all they need is moisture and warmth. Once the seeds are established, then moderate fertilizers use can actually provide any benefit.

 

[muddstopper]

https://www.smart-fertilizer.com/articles/urea-fertilizers/

 

[Goinwheelin]

I think I’ll go pee on my peppers right now.

 

[Del_]

 

[muddstopper]

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You might be interested in knowing Urine is also used, or can be used, to activate biochar.

 

[djg james]

Good deer repelant. Pour a ring around a tree on the ground in the Fall and the deer won't rub on the trees during the rut.

 

[5backacres]

You can use preen on your asparagus but it must be done before you see any spears. I use some other stuff also but to expensive for the home gardner. You can also use 2,4,d amine post emergence. but you have to use caution as it can produce crooked spears and there is a 3 day phi. As with any herbicide or insecticide, READ THE LABEL.

I've had no problems mixing 8/1 and have been doing it for almost 40 years. I also have a soil injector but seldom use it.

Urine works great and is a great organic source of nutrients.

Have you anything positive to say about it's use?

I highly recommend it. I grow sweet corn and do very well with no fertilizers other than urine. Corn can take 6/1 with no signs of damage other than green , lush growth.

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Nice corn/garden. I like Bodacious ,get 2-3/salk. I like to put up cattle panels for peas, pole beans and cucumbers. sugar peas are up 6" ( cheated and bought 6 transplants) seeded the rest of the row