Working Soil Time and Clay
Another cure for clay that I forgot to mention is several truck loads of
good top soil on top the clay. For those who are just starting or may not
have their sites available before spring, its never to late. This is not
recommended for serious heavy growers, unless your stuck time wise. Woking
soil in the fall is best, early spring is next best. I always start
working mine when I put my plants out. I'm growing for seed and not top
weight. I'll take a big one if it happens but its not my primary goal.
For a lot of reasons, loose light soil, shortage of water,wind, heat this
system works for me. As my plants grow I mulch with newspaper and hold
them down with weeds and things I pull from around them. That mulch will
be next years organic material. Most of my soil looks rototilled as I pull
weeds out. Things like rye grass bundles I use to shape and hold the main
stems and laterals. The bundle is several plants pulled and folded in 2ft
lengths. By not working the soil ahead I can grow the plants where they
want to go. I do try and keep them in the max sun time. I bury the main
as fast as it grows, leaving the leaf intersections uncovered until the
laterals develope. If need be I will unbury and cut roots for pumpkin
slack. To make up for my lack of preparation I use Miracle Grow and Spray &
Grow all season. As the season progresses I follow growth rates of my
plants with those posted on the list. From these postings I hink my plants
are growing well enough to produce in the 400-500 lb range. The reason
they don't is little mistakes I make. As I say each fall the system works
its the operator that's broke. Roger
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