Re: CULT: Organic Matter

John Montgomery wrote:
> 
> At 09:44 AM 5/20/97 -0600, Bill Shear wrote:
> >Most of the nitrogen content of the soil is transient - etc.
> ==============================================================
> I completely agree with your comments Bill and would like to add a few
> observations from my experience.
> 
> We grow on about 3 acres of sandy loam soil on slope which is probably a
> bit greater than optimum. Our summers are hot and dry and we usually have
> constant snow cover in the winter to a depth which prevents deep
> penetration of frost. The result is that the soil thaws from below before
> the snow melts and thus it soaks in so there is no run-off erosion problem.
> 
> Our fields get virtually no commercial fertilizers. I can't give you
> figures for the nutrient or organic content of the soil. I simply go by
> results and observation of growth. If a spot appears to need a quick boost,
> I will apply some fertilizer sparingly. This probably averages out to about
> 10 lbs. per year total. We grow three crops - Iris, Hemerocallis and Lilium
> in rotation. Because  of the rotation and our dry climate we have no need
> to apply fungicides. The only insecticide which we use is a specific
> aphidicide in the lilies if we get a build up of aphids there and need to
> knock them off quickly.
> 
> One thing which I abhor is bare soil. At any time when there will be a
> period between taking one crop off and planting the next, we plant oats
> which is plowed under before ripening. Virtually the only thing which we
> bring in to add to our soil is the manure from two neighboring horses. I
> don't believe that this adds much in the way of nutrients but it is
> valuable in terms of the carbon which is added to the soil.
> 
> Tons of composted material goes back into the soil so the only thing which
> comes out are the actual parts of the plants we sell. Over the years this
> seems to have reached an equilibrium which not only sustains itself but is
> self healing. We keep hearing warnings to never put anything in a compost
> pile which has any disease symptoms when in fact a good compost pile is a
> sterilizing system. You can put a lily bulb with a bad case of fusarium rot
> in a compost pile and dig it out later to find no sign of the rot.
> 
> I am not a doctrinaire organic grower whatever the term "organic grower"
> may mean. We do use herbicides and  have not figured out any way to avoid
> this and still produce plants at a price which people are willing to pay.
> There are some things which I probably would never consider using but when
> nothing else will work we will use stuff from a bag or bottle. The point is
> that it is never our first response and in fact is almost never necessary.
> 
> Too often we set out to garden as though we were at war with nature when we
> should be on the same team. The answer to nearly everything is in the soil
> and how you treat it. Get away from the idea of feeding a plant. Improve
> your soil and let it feed the plant.
> 
> Sometimes it may be wise to simply not try to grow a certain plant. We used
> to live on the coast in a maritime climate and the amount of fungicides
> applied to hybrid tea roses in a climate like that is mind boggling. In my
> opinion they are simply the wrong plant to grow there. It is always our
> nature to try to push back boundaries but it is also wise to know when
> defeat is staring us in the face. Some environments grow good cacti and
> others grow good ferns. Some bearded iris will thrive in one part of the
> country and not in another. I assume that 'Beverly Sills' must grow well
> somewhere but it sure won't here so it went into the compost pile.
> 
> I apologize for the length of this tirade, it was going to be a simple
> statement of concurrence but turned out to have a length of its own. I
> guess I need an editor.
> 
> John Montgomery
> monashee@bcgrizzly.com
> Vernon BC Zone 5        Which is not in the Garden of Eden but is perhaps close
> enough.
> John Montgomery
> monashee@bcgrizzly.com
> Vernon  BC  Zone 5


Don't worry about rambling on.  Enjoyed every word.  I plant red leafed
lettuce, red leafed Swiss Chard, parsley, pansies,and creeping thyme in
with my iris to try and give my garden some color during the
non-blooming season.  

Because of this and since my Labs both love garden vegs, I don't dare
put out and weed killers.  If I have any "weeds", I pull them.  My
garden is my front & back yard, so it's not as large as most of you out
there, so my iris are grown rather close to each other.  They seem to
like the buddy system, and leaves my not that much weeds to pick.  

I plan on putting in some tomatos among the iris also.  Will they need
more water than the bearded iris, and therefore should I put them in
with my Louisianas? Or will that be too much water for them?  Has anyone
grown tomatos in with their iris?

Diana Winship
mikesmom@ix.net.com
Richardson, Texas
Where the breeze is light & variable, The tempature is a sweet 72* and
all is at peace with the iris.
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