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Re: Help -- Soil Prep

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

     Hi Patricia,
     
     If your message meant that you have big white curled up grubs about 
     the size of your thumb, with a brown mouth, they are probably the same 
     larvae that are in my compost pile here in Calif. I think they are the 
     larvae of the June beetle, and I leave them alone so they can chomp up 
     and digest my compost. Don't allow any into the garden (i.e. don't 
     place unsorted compost on your veggies), and you should be all right. 
     I am sure these June beetles are damaging my lawn, but I haven't been 
     able to see any overt damage, so I leave them alone. The dogs love to 
     chase the flying beetles in June (or maybe July this year, it's been 
     so cold). Hope I've helped.
     
     Shawn
     Claremont, CA  USDA 9b Sunset 19
     swestaway@coh.org


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Help -- Soil Prep 
Author:  "Patricia J. Santhuff" <psanthuff@mindspring.com> at internet
Date:    6/2/99 5:00 AM


Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
     
Hi, Square Footers.
     
Boy, I'm enjoying this list, and getting a lot out of it. Thanks to everyone 
for all your input, and to those with questions, too, because I'm learning 
some things I may need to know about some day and getting many other great 
information and ideas. 
     
Thanks also to Kim Kiernan for the great post on my earlier questions about 
potting soil, planting soil and other commercially available bagged stuff. 
And the thread on paths was fabulous. Thanks to all.
     
We just moved into our house in mid-January, and with all the unpacking (and 
unpacking and unpacking), and other hubbub and commotion, we are way behind 
in gardening this year. Actually, it's my first year to garden ever, but boy 
am I LOVING it. I've heard it releases endorphins; I believe it.
     
At first I was feeling so overwhelmed by the whole idea of gardening at all, 
but Mel's book was a real life-saver. I read it and thought, "Yes, this is 
doable; this is manageable." I'm still overwhelmed at times at how much 
there is to learn and know, but I love the doing and realize how much I'm 
learning in the process. Of course, the list helps fill in a lot of other 
blanks (some of which I didn't even know I had).
     
Anyway, just to get starting with SOMETHING we haphazardly tilled a small 
area and popped some tomato and pepper plants in. A yellow squash or two. 
Just to do something before spring was totally gone.
     
I have a gazillion questions, but since now I'm starting on preparing my sq 
ft beds, I thought I'd better ask about this question straightaway. 
     
SOIL PREP
In his book, Mel suggests soil amendments totally 1/4 the volume of the soil 
displaced when you first dig a bed out. So far, no problem. He says add leaf 
mulch (or I suppose regular compost would do) -- ??, vermiclulite, peat 
moss, and maybe sand. But he doesn't say in what proportions to make up your 
1/4 volume. Any help here, anyone?
     
COMPOST
Speaking of compost -- there's good news and bad news. The good news is I 
have some! And I made it myself -- wheeeee! The bad news is as I've dug some 
out for the beds, I've all curled up ), and I don't find any good info in 
either of my two bug books.  What to do? Will they get in my garden and 
wreak havoc if I don't ferret them out? If there are these big guys, that 
I've seen, are there any little ones I didn't see?  Any suggestions would be 
appreciated.
     
Patricia
Zone 7, West Georgia
     
     
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