Pallets to improve circulation and decrease disease /manure
- To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
- Subject: Pallets to improve circulation and decrease disease /manure
- From: C*@aol.com
- Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1999 12:29:17 EST
I found this short idea in May/June 1994 Organic Gardening and would like to
know any opinions about this technique...
By Bette Bonnet from Front Royal, Virginia
"Pallet-Raised Squash
The wooden pallets that I get for free from a local bread bakery are put to
many uses in my garden. Their newest use is as support for squash plants;
raising the vines up off the ground improves air circulation and makes the
plants much less susceptible to disease.
Before planting the squash, I first put down a mulch of paper feed bags (we
buy a lot of chicken, goat and hog feed) to keep down weeds and retain
moisture. Then I cut holes into the bags, plant the seeds inside those holes
and put the pallets down on top of the bags. The squash germintates and grows
right up through the slats in the pallets. Within weeks, the pallets are
completely covered by the vines and nary a fruit is touching the ground!
I've been thinking too hard about how to grow my pumpkin, my family is worried
about me. I'm wondering about that dogfood gertilizer ideal. If dogfood is
good for the soil, it seems that processed dog food would be even better! I
am wondering what the composition of Dog doo doo might be?
Here are some statistics from Organic Gardening May/June 1995 for
Sheep/Horse/Cow
Pounds per ton: N P K
----------------------------------------------------------
Sheep manure 20 9 17
Horse manure 11 6 13
Cow manure 9 6 8
Dog manure ? ? ?
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