Anyone from Buckley, Wash.? Need help

We've only been in Buckley for 6 months and are starting our first garden. When we went to the local nursery she spoke of "Buckley Muck" but we didn't say anything because we didn't know exactly what she meant. Well.. WE DO NOW! It tills up as beautiful black soil but it is sticky, especially when wet. When it dries, there are big clods that have to be broken up. We've been putting some of it throug a sifter and it gives us beautiful looking soil. We have not tested the soil but have had good luck with the plants we put out under caps of some sort. Corn inabout 13" high in a kloshe. Tomatos, Walla Walla Sweet Onions, brocchli, zucchini and cukes are looking good. I've used Miracle Grow per instrucions for veggies.

My question: Is there something we should be adding to this Buckley Muck to help it not be so sticky? Never have seen dirt quite like this. Thanks/Shira

Hmm, I could trade you some of my W. WA rocks for your Buckley Muck. LOL Sorry, I'm punchy from make new planting beds... too many rocks!

Compost and lots of it. If you can add till it in to a depth of 12 to 18". That will let the Buckley muck turn into Puyllap Perfect soil. You are probably quite acidic there. Have you tested your PH? Because Buckley is about 4" above the water table and there are lots of peat swamps down there.

You should be able to have your local cooperative extension agent do a soil test for you. Also, out on Pioneer Road there is a WSU expermential garden, if memery serves. They may be able to help you, if they are still around.

Regards;
bluelytes

Wow... I wasn't expecting to get replies so quickly. Thanks to all of you. I have not figured out how to get the reply to an individual, but I will do that. Also (this isn't garden business, sorry) is there a way to be notified in your email when you've had posts written to you.

We're working on compost but since we've only been here 6 mo. we don't have a lot yet.

I'm going to check into all the suggestion and mail KathyMac some Buckley Muck dirt clods that will work nicely for rocks! LOL

The picture is of our corn today, under the cloche. We also put alternate layers of fresh grass clipping about 3 feet under the corn and then dirt (Buckley Muck of course). The grass clippings provider heat and make the ground warm earlier than normal. Others close by have not planted their corn yet. But the proofs in the eating, so we will see who has fresh corn on the table first.

SHIRA;
Just click on the name you want to send a note (d-mail) to, you should see send XXXXX a d-mail, click on that and follow the directions then send away!!

Regards,
bluelytes.

Shira when I was short of compost first I went to H Depot and purchased the torn bag pallets ($10). Also I got lots of compost from the local Dairy (silo clean ups) and manure. You have many around you.

Where in WA is Buckley?

KARR,
Its off of SR 410, near Enumclaw, east of tacoma.


Regards;
bluelytes

Buckley's in the NorthWest corner of Mt Rainier, ~40 miles south of Seattle. They have that lovely clumping mountain dirt. :-)

TIFF,
Easy for YOU to say, coming from Sumner, the evil Sister of Bonnie Lake!! hehehehe

Best;
Bluelytes

ok - no wonder I'd never heard of it. thanks!

KARR,
Ever hear of Plain, Washington??

Best;
bluelytes

No, never heard of that either! I've lived in WA since 1972.

LOL Bluelytes! Yea, that's why Sumner's down in the valley...in the path of the Rainier.

I've heard of Plain. I've also heard of other funny Washington cities like: George, Dynamite, Humptulips (that one always makes me giggle), Mock City (it's not real, just a mock city), Starbuck (I wonder if they had a corporate sponsor)...

Never Plain WA, we have a Plains MT. My favorite town and name is Chesaw WA it is above Tonasket on the Canadian border. When I went there there was only a bar and restaurant, (same place) and post office. The Bar had a big pot bellied stove and the best steaks. They also have a great 4th of July Rodeo.

My favorite town name is where I grew up: Walla Walla, WA. Some called it Walla2, some called it Wally World (before there was a Wal-Mart), and I have heard it mentioned in commercials (i.e. a Dex yellow page one) and even in comedy. It means "Many Rivers" - which I loved as a child, I loved playing in the water. It's actually a very pretty town underneath the Blue Mountains.

For all that are following the "PLAIN" part, lol, it is a TINY place just outside of Leavenworth, in the eastern foothills of the Cascades, just off of Hwy 2.

Regards;
bluelytes

Oh yeah that is right. It is near lake Wenachee where I used to take the back road up to Lake chelan hike over.

Shira, faith dairy in Tacoma sells compost... 72 nd st. and vicory ave... its good stuff.
Viv

We used to drive the road through Plain, Wash. from our cabin (which was near Fish Lake – Malfunction Junction grocery & gas) to Leavenworth. Ahh memories.

I work in Bonney Lake, so right between Buckley and Sumner :-)
But I live in Lakebay (on the Key Penninsula) so it is a heck of a commute every day! But my house is close to the water and it's a few degrees warmer.

I used to go to the Longbranch Saloon on the Key peninsula. I have worked for a veterinarian at the top of the peninsula. You must be a hippie all people on the key peninsula, used to be, hippies. LOL I know things have changed. I have seen some beautiful gardens out there in your rich neighbor's estates.

LOL no not a hippie, just uninterested in living with all the rich yuppies :P Some of our neighbors have green thumbs but you won't see their plants displayed prominently in their yards hahaha. There's new homes going up all the time near us and some of the old mobiles are going down, either mowed down to make way for the homes or exploding from someone's flammable "home business".

There is a beautiful beach I would always stop at when kayaking around the peninsula. It is only accessable by boat. It is at the tip of the peninsula on the west side. Saw a lot of whales off that area. There was a resident Pilot whale I often saw there. I called him Hubert. He looked like Hubert Humphrey. LOL

Tagro (Tacoma Grow) it's compost made from treated municipal waste http://www.ci.tacoma.wa.us/tagro/ If you have the money they will deliver it if you buy 3c.u. yards plus a delivery fee. The price was REALLY reasonable.
You do have to be carefull about soil west of the cascades. A great little gardening bible that I ran across is Gardening Vegetable West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon. He founded Territorial Seed back in the late 70's. Wonderful book dedicated to our climate and its particular pest problems, and our soil problems. Try and get it from your library, even if its through an ILL or you can buy it. Borders, etc can order it if they don't have it on the shelf or you can purchase it through Territorial Seed, http://www.territorial-seed.com.
Good gardening!