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Question Clay Revisited - Attachments - Fungi

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

Cal French <ccfrench@tcsn.net> wrote:

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

*I have more time on the weekend, but as it becomes more universal to avoid
attachments, folks like yourself and Lori, will find some will not bother with
the risk, due to viruses.  porting them to a safe place to open them is a
pain.  Som ARE self executing.  Opening is not required.
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*TO RECAP;
>> raised beds.  I will be using Mel's soil mix.  I guess my first question
is---Mel's soil mix has no soil in it, correct? 

>At least half the soil in my sqaures is the orginal, minus the rocks. Then
each year, I dig in more compost as I replant each square.  

>>I did find a 4 cu ft bag of vermiculite and large bags of manure
>> and the peat  but that is all I have so far.  I'm almost there.  And, what>
organic fertilizers did you all use? 

>I didn't bother with either sand or charcoal.
I think the important thing to do is get plenty of organic materials into the
soil.
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*Check archives, within the last month.
Sand is RARELY advisable. esp w clay.  Exceptions...Green sand for micro
mineral elements is sometimes ok.  Containers which will blow over & need
weight.

Say you want a 12" deep raised ded, so you  dig ONLY 12" in the soil, BEFORE
you add the bed itself.  Soil 'fluffing up" will add an easy 3"
Maybe 6"!!!  If you used a 6" raised bed voard, you have 3" at least,
already.

Now add 3" of compost, ash, (alkaline) peat vermiculite, (vermiculite
preferred over perlite if moisture retaining ability is desired, perlite
reatins sbout 1/2 as much, but some, both add air, much needed in clay,) paper
shredded, hay is good and 2-3% slow release N.  Gypsum aids some in adding air
by coagulating particles yet separating them into groups that add some air,
thus drainage.  Clay seems to be acid in the Esat, and fairly balanced in the
west.  (Check pH, get a free/ cheap soil test from the Agricultural Agent in
your state.  I read only Ca and Ill have none.  (I use a kit.  They are
reputed to be somewhat poor, so I am extra careful using it.)

General rule for clay.  If you squeeze a handful and then poke it, and it
doesn't break apart, you have not added enough amendment.  This about says it.
 This means a 12" deep, 1' x 4' section requires a whole 1cu ft (a bag is 1-3
cu ft) of amendment for 25%... a general minimum the first year.  you can
amend with half, if you are broke from moving etc., and add extra to the
troweled planting hole.

I think this sums up clay.  Clay is fine fine particles and drains
poorly and has no air.  Soil is to be about 25% water, 25% air, and 50%
"dirt/organics." Adding organics adds the air and nutrients, and allows the
drainage.  We covered this a lot.  [Miss anything guys?}

>I have started using mycorrhizae ( root fungus that takes in nutrients and
shares them with the host plant) this year. They supposedly work great with
plants that have poorly developed root systems and with others such as
tomatoes.  We'll see.
--Cal

Cal!  This is advanced thinking!  Like compost, it might take time.
Mycological benefit is not 'common knowledge.'  Even they, need thier support
system.  Mollasses in a solution, can aid.  maybe add a tablespoon to a gallon
for a 5x5 area.  Ants can't retrieve this little.  Some ants harvest some
fungi tho.  Some harvest ahphid dew or leaves and grow their own fungi.
Bill

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