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Ashes - not texture, pH

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

>>I have begun to think clay should almost get it's own 12 Step List.
Standard soil amendment for fairly ok soil is 1-3 inches, say, the first
year. This assumes UP TO a 25% amendment.  After that, you might get away with
less, like an inch a year.  Remember, sq ft is a little intensive.
------
>OK What would you recommend for an opposite like coal ash.
---------------------
This is not a texture issue.  It is not an opposite.  Clay is usually pretty
good pH and nutrient-wise, except for texture/no air/water retending
properties.  Ash is dis-suggested sometimes, due to pH, but has bennies, so I
use it.  Mine is grey paper ash, (NOT black!)

>I have a lot of that in my garden and plan on adding all the organic I can
get.  Since my own compost isn't ready I will have to add some commercial
stuff.  I think the same 2 bags from Home Depot should do nicely.  I still
need to get the soil analyzed though.  What would
coal ash be?
Acid or Alkali.

Ash... think Homemade Lye soap, also made with cautic soda (Draino.)  Alkalai.
 But burning and coal can go to acid rain, so degree of buning efficiency
enters the pic a hair.  Test pH by all means.

Aim for 6.5 as a rule of thumb.  Luckily, alkali is corrected by acid.  Acids
tend to be sulphur or liquid, and "correct" much easier and faster than
correcting acid soil, by adding alkali/base, tilling, and waiting 1-2 months
to retest.  Correct ONLY 1/2 - 1 max point of pH per effort.  Can readjust in
a couple 3 months, if you must.  Exception would be doing bluberries and
needing 4.5 or so immeadiately.

>I did have plenty of squash and cucumbers last year.
Onions were small as was the corn ears.

Squash likes rich soil.  Something must be right.
Onions, how deep you plant?  Near top for dry/large, 2-3" deep for
green/bunch.

Corn small:
Ortho, " More home gardencorn plantings are ruined by overcrowding than any
other factor."  Large and small varieties exist.  Corn and onion are heavy
feeders.  Corn roots go a bit deeper.  Corn wants sun.  Corn must be planted
in close proximity, or kernnels do not get pollinated.  Otho says 1 ft apart,
3' between rows.

At 2 feet that I use, light gets to the leaves.  Plant other between
it...onions?  Indians planted a fish under each corn seed.  The Home Depot
compost/manure I used was probably weak mushroom compost. (Earth-Gro?") But
"High quality bio-solids means "other" stuff too... yup! <g>  But states set
some safety standards for this.
Bill

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