Re: Seeking seeds
Bubba, Here's some reading material. When you think you will need seed,
if you need seed I would need your Email. Looks like you have found a buddy
not to far away. He will more than likely share seed. If not I would be
glad to give you a couple.
Dwaine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bubba Hall" <bubba.hall@gmail.com>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2005 9:06 AM
Subject: Seeking seeds
> I'm going to try to grow my first giant pumpkins this year. I'm in the
> lower Hudson Valley, NY and would like to get a few seeds with
> genetics if possible. Also, any advice (or war stories) you care to
> offer greatly accepted ... thanks.
>
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RECOMMENDED ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENTS
-----------------------------------
With each revision of this information sheet, the list of recommended
organic soil amendments gets shorter. In some cases, the amendment
may pose a health risk. In other cases, the source of the amendment
has become polluted in some way, e.g. pesticides and/or herbicides
may have contaminated the material. It is becoming increasingly clear
that the safest, most economical, most efficient way to fertilize the
soil is to grow compost crops and to use the cured compost they
produce to replenish the soils organic matter and nutrient supply.
But first, you should be sure the nutrients in your soil are
balanced.
* Soil Tests: What does your soil need? What does it already have?
* Organic sources of N ,P, and K
* Organic sources of calcium
* Organic soil modifiers (compost and such)
* Our just go straight to our recommended General Fertilizer Program
* Special Tips for Lawn and Fruit Trees
SOIL TESTS
Soil conditions may vary from backyard to backyard. For the most
efficient and effective use of organic soil amendments, a soil test
is advisable, if possible. Even a simple test using a LaMotte soil
test kit can help you to judge what your soil needs for 3 key
elements. If you live in the Menlo Park/Palo Alto/ Mountain View area
and choose not to perform a soil test or have a one done for you, the
recommendations on p. 4 of this leaflet can help you to estimate the
amendments to apply.
If you use a LaMotte soil test kit to test your soil, you should use
the amendment recommendations for N, P, and K on p. 45 of How To Grow
More Vegetables.
Especially for a garden of 500 sq ft or more, it is best to have a
professional soil test performed. A very good soil testing service
is:
Timberleaf Soil Testing
39648 Old Spring Road Phone/Fax (909) 677-7510
Murrieta CA 92563
As a first step, write for free information and a sampling kit. You
should have their basic and trace mineral tests performed. These will
include pH, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium,
and trace minerals. The cost for both will be about $55.00. In
addition to the results, you will receive an easy-to-understand
interpretation and specific recommendations for correcting
deficiencies. If you are mini-farming or gardening 500 sq ft or more,
the soil test should more than pay for itself due to increased yields
and reduced fertilizer expenses.
A pH reading tells you the relative acidity/alkalinity of the soil.
Most vegetables will grow well in a range from 6.0 to 7.0. In
extremely acid or extremely alkaline soils, valuable nutrients are
tied up and thus unavailable to the plants. An acid soil can be
sweetened by the addition of dolomite lime.
Top^
ORGANIC SOURCES OF N,P, and K
N, P, and K refer to the three main nutrients plants need: NITROGEN
for green growth and in compost piles to speed decomposition;
PHOSPHORUS for energy, root growth, disease resistance, and
production of good fruits, vegetables, flowers and seeds; and POTASH
for strong stems, vigorous roots and increased disease resistance.
Source
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
How Long does it last?
Comments
Alfalfa Meal
2-3%
0.7%
2.25%
3-4 months
A quick-acting source of nitrogen and some potash.
Use up to 19 lb (163/4 qt) / 100 sq ft.
Phosphate Rock
---
33%
---
3-5 years
Very slow-releasing
Use up to 6 lb (22/3 qt) / 100 sq ft.
Soft Phosphate (Colloidal)
---
18%
---
2-3 years
Clay base makes this phosphorus more available to plants than the
phosphorus in phosphate rock, though the two are used interchangeably.
Use up to 6 lb (22/3 qt) / 100 sq ft.
Kelp Meal
1%
---
12%
6-12 months
Excellent source of potash, iron and other minerals. Kelp meal is also a
natural fungicide. Cold-water kelp is preferable; warm-water kelp may
contain toxic amounts of mercury and is not recommended. Use sparingly (1
lb [2/3 qt] / 100 sq ft) because it contains growth hormones.
Wood Ash
---
---
1-10%
6 months
Ashes from wood are high in potash and help repel root maggots. Ashes
also have an alkaline effect on the soil, so use them with care if your
soil pH is above 6.5. Black wood ash is best. See p. 48 in How To Grow
More Vegetables for more information on wood ashes.
Use up to 1.5 lb (13/4 qt) / 100 sq ft.
Crushed Granite
---
---
3-5%
Up to 10 years
Slow-releasing source of potash and trace minerals.
Use up to 8.5 lb (31/2 qt) / 100 sq ft.
Top^
ORGANIC SOURCES OF CALCIUM
Calcium help break up clay and release nutrients tied up in alkaline
soils. It is especially good for cabbage family crops (and can help keep
your tomatoes from getting blossom end rot).
Eggshells
High in calcium.
High-Calcium Lime (Calcite)
A good source of calcium when magnesium levels are too high for dolomitic
lime. Oyster shell flour is a good substitute. 1 qt = about 1 lb 14 oz.
Dolomitic Lime
A good source of calcium and magnesium to be used for acid soils. In a
clay soil, 8.75 lb of lime per 100 sq ft raises the pH one point. In a
light sandy soil, 2.5 lb per 100 sq ft raises the pH one point. Do not
use in soil with a sufficient or high magnesium level. Do not use lime to
"sweeten" the compost pile as doing so will result in a serious loss of
nitrogen. A layer of soil will discourage flies and reduce odors. 1 qt =
about 3 lb 8 oz.
Top^
ORGANIC SOIL MODIFIERS
Plants also need HUMUS (with its organic matter and minerals) which is
produced by decaying organic matter such as compost, manure, rice hulls
and cover crops (compost crops). An alkaline soil can be brought closer
to neutral by compost or manure. Compost has a buffering effect on soil,
correcting both acid and alkaline conditions.
Compost
Good compost is the most important part of the garden. It aerates the
soil, breaks up clay, improves drainage, prevents erosion, neutralizes
toxins, holds precious moisture, releases essential nutrients, and feeds
the microbiotic life of the soil, creating healthy conditions for natural
antibiotics, worms and beneficial fungi. Use up to one inch of compost
which includes 50% soil by volume (8 cu ft [12 five-gallon buckets] / 100
sq ft) per four-month growing season, or up to 1/2 inch of compost (4 cu
ft [6 five-gallon buckets] / 100 sq ft).if compost is made without soil.
ManureSolids
Horse
0.7% N
0.2% P
0.7% K
Age 2-3 months
Rabbit
2.4% N
1.4% P
0.6% K
Age 2 months
Chicken, Fresh
1.5% N
1.0% P
0.5% K
Age 2 months
Chicken, Dry
4.5% N
3.5% P
2.0% K
Age 2 months
Sheep
1.4% N
0.5% P
1.2% K
Pig, Fresh
0.5% N
0.3% P
0.5% K
Dairy Cow
0.6% N
0.2% P
0.6% K
Steer
0.7% N
0.5% P
0.7% K
Age 2 years
Manure is a source of organic matter in the garden. Nutrient levels
depend on proper handling and the amount of straw or sawdust present.
Large amounts of bedding may add up to 2 years to the decomposition time.
Fifty pounds of manure dry weight (approx. 2 cubic feet [3 five-gallon
buckets]) applied per 100 sq ft can lower the pH one point.
Gypsum
Gypsum is not needed by organic gardeners and should be used only with
the recommendation of an expert. It is normally used commercially in
soils made impermeable by excess exchangeable sodium. 1 qt = about 1 lb 4
oz.
Top^
GENERAL FERTILIZER PROGRAM
Suggested for the Menlo Park, Palo Alto and Mountain View areas (CA)
ASSUMING NO SOIL TEST IS PERFORMED
Functions
Sources
Choose one for each function.
1st & 2nd Yr
Assuming
poor soil
3rd & 4th Yr
or 1st & 2nd yr
in average soil
5th Yr
or 1st yr
in good soil
Maintenance
every year
thereafter (1)
Nitrogen (2)
Alfalfa meal (2.5% N)
16 lb
10.5 lb
5 lb
Phosphorus
Phosphate rock
Soft phosphate
6 lb
6 lb
3 lb
3 lb
2 lb
2 lb
Potash & Trace Minerals
Kelp meal (3)
Wood ash (4)
Granite
1 lb
2 lb
8.5 lb
1 lb
1 lb
4 lb
1 lb
1 lb
2.5 lb
0.25 lb
1 lb
Microbiotic Life, Humus, Multiple Nutrients
Compost
(or manure)
(5)
up to 8 cu ft
(each crop)
(6)
up to 8 cu ft
(each crop)
(6)
up to 8 cu ft
(each crop
(6)
up to 8 cu ft
(each crop)
(6)
Calcium
Eggshells (4)
Oyster shell
2 lb
2 lb
1 lb
1 lb
up to 1/2 lb
up to 1/2 lb
up to 1/2 lb
up to 1/2 lb
Add all amendments after double-digging. For the first double-dig,
compost may be added before double-digging; see How To Grow More
Vegetables, pp. 10-12, 14).
(1) Beginning with the 6th year, your legumes, compost crops and
recycled plant material (in the form of compost) can provide most of
your nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Double-check this periodically
with a soil test.
(2) Nitrogen E (% of protein) / 6.25. The 1st & 2nd Yr amounts will
provide 0.4 lb pure N / 100 sq ft.
(3) For trace minerals: kelp meal is up to 33% trace minerals. Be
sure to use cold-water kelp.
(4) Save your own.
(5) Top priority in typical adobe soil. Breaks up clay, improves
drainage, releases nutrients and lowers pH.
(6) This amount of compost assumes a compost recipe that results in
cured compost which contains 50% soil by volume. Eight cubic feet (12
five-gallon buckets) of cured compost will provide one inch of
compost for 100 sq ft. Two cubic feet will provide 1/4 inch of
compost for 100 sq ft. You can substitute aged manure for compost the
first year if you do not have a ready source of compost; use half the
amount recommended above.
< B>Top^
SPECIAL TIPS FOR LAWN AND FRUIT TREES
To revitalize an old lawn: Use 7 lb alfalfa meal, 4 lb soft
phosphate, and 1 lb kelp meal per 100 sq ft. Apply in spring, and
water well twice a week for 2 weeks. You should see results in 6
weeks.
Fruit trees: Use 2 heaping tablespoons alfalfa meal per foot of
height, up to 4 lb soft phosphate per full-grown tree, and a light
sprinkling of kelp meal (up to 1/4 lb per full-grown tree) around the
drip line. Apply in spring when leaves first start to appear, and
water in well. Growing compost crops around full-grown trees (keeping
the crops 2 ft away from the trunk) is beneficial. Make compost
without soil for fruit trees and other perennials, and use half the
recommendation given in the General Fertilizer Program above.
Citrus trees: Same as fruit trees with the addition of 5 to 8 lb
phosphate rock to full-grown trees once every 3 to 5 years. Line the
planting hole with crushed red rock for a long-lasting source of
iron.
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