Baymule’s 2020 Garden

[Marie2020]

The pH tells you the acidity/alkalinity of your soil. For most vegetables the target range is 6.0 to 6.5. That measures how well the nutrients in your soil are used by your plants. The roots absorbing the nutrients is a chemical reaction, that's as complicated as I want to get. Chemistry was never a favorite subject of mine.

Here in the US we can get a soils analysis, usually through what we all the local county extension service. Your government agricultural ministry might be able to help if you aren't already lined up for that. The soils analysis tells us pH but also information about what essential nutrients are present or missing. In your clay soil you should have most of the nutrients you need but it's good to know where you stand.

Then you have the tilth of the soil. That's a measure of how easy it is to work and has a lot to do with moisture retention and drainage. At one extreme is sand, doesn't hold moisture at all and does not stick together. The other extreme is a clay. Does not drain at all and is really sticky when wet. It dries hard like a sun-dried brick, worse when disturbed while wet. The opposite of easy to work. The best soils are called loam, which is a combination of sand, clay, and organic matter. And of course there are other possibilities, like silt or loess. Most soils are a combination of these.

The best way to improve the tilth of sand or clay is to add compost or organic material that will break down into compost. That helps sand retain moisture. It helps clays drain better and handle better. Almost every one of us on here has a compost pile of some sort but that usually doesn't generate enough compost for us. Some of us might buy more. Many of us mulch with an organic material, which helps weed suppression, moisture retention, and cools the soil during really hot weather but as it breaks down it adds organic content to the soil. Straw, wood chips, dried leaves, grass clippings, lots of different organic mulches. Where you have four seasons it's pretty common to empty out a chicken coop, stable, or barn onto the garden in the fall, by spring time it's broken down enough for you to plant. Some people get horse poop from a nearby stable. Lots of creative ways to get organic matter into the soil. Yes, you are on a forum where we talk about animal poop, some people get excited by that.

Thank you very much for all that valuable information, I hope I don't lose this post so I can come back to it. just have to buy the monitors to measure now. We do not have anyone checking our soil to my knowledge but will enquire

 

[baymule]

I pulled weeds again. One of these days, I'm gonna run out of weeds, yeah right. LOL I dug up mats of crab grass and replanted in a washout area. I laid sheep manure over it, hay over that and watered it in. Since it is damp, the dogs will probably dig it up tonight for a cool spot to lay in.

I replanted cucumbers, for the third time. First time, only one came up, second time, none came up, this time I got newer seed, we'll see. Also planted 23 lima bean seeds from Marshall Smyth. Sure do miss him, anybody ever hear from him?

 

[ninnymary]

Bay, wish I was closer to help you weed. Sadly, I don't have any weeds in this small yard. Deadheading is about as exhausting as it gets here.

Mary

 

[seedcorn]

I pulled weeds again. One of these days, I'm gonna run out of weeds, yeah right. LOL I dug up mats of crab grass and replanted in a washout area. I laid sheep manure over it, hay over that and watered it in. Since it is damp, the dogs will probably dig it up tonight for a cool spot to lay in.

I replanted cucumbers, for the third time. First time, only one came up, second time, none came up, this time I got newer seed, we'll see. Also planted 23 lima bean seeds from Marshall Smyth. Sure do miss him, anybody ever hear from him?

Hear u on cakes. On my 3rd planting with fresh seed

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

I pulled weeds again. One of these days, I'm gonna run out of weeds, yeah right. LOL I dug up mats of crab grass and replanted in a washout area. I laid sheep manure over it, hay over that and watered it in. Since it is damp, the dogs will probably dig it up tonight for a cool spot to lay in.

I replanted cucumbers, for the third time. First time, only one came up, second time, none came up, this time I got newer seed, we'll see. Also planted 23 lima bean seeds from Marshall Smyth. Sure do miss him, anybody ever hear from him?

I've had a hard time with cucumbers this year too. The ones that are growing look sad and eaten up by bugs.

 

[flowerbug]

all i can suggest is starting them in pots sooner and then transplanting them out when they have some more leaves on them which may help them along better.

 

[flowerbug]

Bay, wish I was closer to help you weed. Sadly, I don't have any weeds in this small yard. Deadheading is about as exhausting as it gets here.

Mary

it is really a tragedy to have all this energy and no place to go with it. dang they need to get those teleporter booths figured out...

 

[baymule]

all i can suggest is starting them in pots sooner and then transplanting them out when they have some more leaves on them which may help them along better.

They just didn't come up. I seem to be a pro at killing seedlings though.

 

[flowerbug]

They just didn't come up. I seem to be a pro at killing seedlings though.

that which does not kill them makes them stronger! you are an agent of progress and improvement of the crops you grow. ok, i'm just trying to help you feel better, but i am actually certain that even on the small scale a person who does cull and select from their seeds can improve their lines.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just did a quick check. The optimum soil temperature to germinate cucumber seeds is 65 to 95 F. Somehow I don't think that is your problem.

Have you tried a germination test? You probably know how. Get a paper towel wet, squeeze out most of the water, Wrap a few seeds in that and put it in an open zip-loc bag in a warm spot, maybe the top of your fridge in cool weather, Do not zip that bag, leave it open. Come back in a week and see if any sprouted. My first thought is bad seed.

Are you direct seeding in the garden or trying to start them in containers? You probably said earlier but I'm not going to read back to find that. I always direct seed cukes. I know many people start them and then transplant but I've had trouble doing that, I find cukes and their family to be kind of delicate when it comes to transplanting. They don't much like to dry out either.