This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Solarizing and Soil Testing

Hey all,
I remember reading that solarizing is a good idea so I covered my lil'
square foot garden with an old drycleaning bag (transparent) and covered
the remainder with a grey "toys r us" type bag.  There were a couple of
holes in the bag--is that a problem?  Also, how long do I need to solarize
my plot?
I also picked up a Sudbury  soil test kit and tried it out. It's actually
pretty simple to use--even for a novice like me, but I'm not sure what to
do with my new-found knowledge.  It seems the pH in my garden is on the
low side--it looks like 5 to me.  That would indicate acidity, right?
They recommend a number of additives to raise pH but give lbs/1,000 sqft
as a recommendation.  I've only got a 4 x 3' plot, so I'm a little
confused.  I was thinking of using wood ashes since we have plenty in the
wood stove but is that the kind of additive that works over months?  Does
that mean I should go with the hydrated or spray lime?

My N,P,K results were: 8%-3%-12%, respectively.  What does that mean for
me, the fertilizer-buying public?  Would a 15-5-20ish fertilizer do okay?
I want to start working soon to get some plants out--I'm in zone
7 (Nashville) and don't want to blow my early window of opportunity.

Finally, we've been terrorized by carpenter bees that  have taken over the
shed and playground area.  I KNOW they don't sting and I KNOW that bees
are good---but my kids won't go out and play and I'm a little too freaked
to go into the shed to get my tools.  HELP!  How do I get rid of
them?!?!?!

TIA,

Fia

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 
      which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Ephesians 2:10     
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sophia Hansen						fia@netcentral.net

--
To unsubscribe, send a message to: majordomo@lists.umsl.edu
with the single body line: unsubscribe sqft
Contact owner-sqft@lists.umsl.edu with any admin questions.
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index