Update: 1999 Soil Experiments (a long one)

1999 Soil Experiments

This is a long overdue report on my experiments this year.  For those of you 
that don't know I'm working with a very mature garden, over 25 years old.  
That gives me some unusual problems to deal with.

My theory reissued (Emailed earlier this year).

My theory as to what happens to soil used by the same crop year after year.  
This seems to be more acute with Atlantic Giants.

1: Microbial activity is drastically reduced.  Cause unknown.  Result is the 
soil is unable to breakdown natural plant foods into usable substances that 
the plants can use.  A sometimes fertile soil by most standards but a Dead 
one incapable of providing the growth stimulant needed by Atlantic Giants.

2: Micro-nutrient depletion.

3: Susceptibility to disease increases, I.e.: Khun's Disease which is a 
rapidly spread disease that can reduce a large Pumpkin and plant to a brown 
soup in a matter of days.  This was first observed a few yeas ago in NH and 
MA.  Cause unknown.

4: Plants respond to commercial fertilizers with spurts of growth then a 
rapid decline until the next application.  During this cycle they seem to be 
taking up Nitrogen more than other nutrients.  This can cause the Pumpkin 
mature prematurely.

My first approach was to use the compost Feeding Planting Method that got me 
my 617 in 91.  That worked for a few years then that wasn't enough.  I still 
use this method but incorporated into the total soil stimulation plan.

What I'm trying to do:

A: Drastically increases Microbial Activity

B: Provide large amounts of natural fertilizers for the Microbes to eat.

C: Provide a steady diet of food that encourages lush growth but at a 
consistent rate throughout the growing season.  This is accomplished with the 
two items listed above.

D: Provide a wide variety of Micro-nutrients to cover all possible 
deficiencies.

E: Provide natural growth stimulants and additives that help the plants 
defend against disease and grow rapidly.

F: Increase worm activity and population to breakdown organics.

I believe crop rotation helps slow this decline but doesn't stop it.  It may 
take two or three times longer to develop the same problems though.

My plan attacks all of these areas using some of the following found in 
natural fertilizers, and some unconventional products and very old farmer 
tricks to stimulate the soil.  Some ingredients that are used: Poultry 
Byproducts, Molasses, Alfalfa, Brewers Yeast and Corn Meal, Fish Meal and 
Seaweed.

Products used in the attack:
Cat Food (Fish Meal Base)
Dog Food (Poultry Based)
Neptune's Liquid Fish & Seaweed
Nitron (A micro-nutrient supplement)
Bradfield Plus (An Organic Fertilizer)

This is a broad-based attack that uses many products.  It is my intention to 
post my results for growers to make there own decisions on whether you chose 
to use them is your decision.  Hopefully my tests will help other growers.

Dry Dog Food Beneficial Ingredients:

Ground Yellow Corn
Meat & Bone Meal
Corn Gluten Meal
Soybean Meal
Wheat Middlings
Ground Wheat
Wheat Germ Meal
Ground Oats
Brewers Dried Yeast
Dried Skim Milk
Dried Whey
Vitamin E ?
Manganous Oxide ?
Copper Sulfate ?
Vitamin B12 ?

Dry Cat Food Beneficial Ingredients:

Ground Yellow Corn
Poultry By Product Meal
Ground Wheat
Corn Gluten Meal
Soybean Meal
Animal Digest
Turkey Meal
Liver Meal
Salmon Meal
Shrimp Meal
Tuna Meal
Brewers Dried Yeast
Vitamin E ?
Manganous Oxide ?
Copper Sulfate ?
Vitamin B12 ?

Bradfield Plus Beneficial Ingredients:

Alfalfa (Nutrients & Triacontanol)
Poultry Protein (Slow Release Nitrogen & Micronutrients)
Natural Sulfate Of Potash
Molasses (Bio Activator)
Calcium
Sulfur
Magnesium
Sodium
Boron
Manganese
Iron
Copper
Zinc
Humic Acid
Cold Water Seaweed
Cottonseed Embryo
Microbes that break down Nitrate, Phosphate & Sulfates for plants to absorb.

I do not have the list of Micro-ingredients that are in Nitron.  But they are 
the primary ones found in most products of this type.

Nitron and Liquid Fish & Seaweed are mixed in the compost mounds and feed to 
the Pumpkin plants at the root zone.  Foliar sprays are also used.

Because of the drought I have had to discount the Atlantic Giants tests, run 
this year.  The drought stressed them too much to rely on the results.  
Another problem with them is they are so unpredictable test results can often 
be unreliable.  To help get some other test results to evaluate I grow other 
crops under the same conditions and test ingredients.  I did get some 
interesting results on Tomatoes that may indicate it might benefit other 
crops.

Tomato plot #1 45 plants:

Tilled in Bradfield Plus and Cat Food before planting.

Tomato Plot #2 86 Plants:

Trenched Bradfield Plus and Cat Food between rows.

The Plot #2 dramatically out produced Plot #1.  Somehow either the 
combination of products in close proximity gave better results.  Possibly 
because the roots could detect the concentration easier and send out more 
roots to this area to pick up the fertilizer.  Not sure but it worked.

Next year I will make the following changes:
Drop Dog Food
Increase Cat Food
Trench feed the plants all though the patch.

Nitron and Fish & Seaweed applications will not change.

The above has a lot of info but we have all winter to ponder it.  The 
Southern Hemisphere will have time to experiment with trench fertilizing if 
they start it soon.  That's about it.

George Brooks
North Tewksbury, MA approximately 25 miles Northwest of Boston in the 
Merrimack River Valley

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