This is a continuation of Dung Doo Doo and Dirt, dirtier, and dirtiest. Our purpose is to assist each other in producing a Garden of Eden in our own back and front yards. Many of us have limited resources and ideas and we here at "The Good, Bad, and Ugly" work together to give you ideas.
A few definitions:
Compost = The source of greatness in the form of black gold. Organic material rich in Carbon, Nitrogen, and soil bacterias, fungi, worms and bugs.
Loam = The organic matter that is in your soil to make building blocks for your plants naturally.
Sand/Sandy loam = small pieces of round or irregularly round silicates which by their shape are good drainage to all plants. But poor in plant needs.
Clay = Something every gardener has concerns because of poor drainage. Flat angular shapes of glacial scraping that when overlapped cause low drainage due to water impermeability. Though this is a rich source of inorganic minerals valued by plants to super succeed in the proper balance of above materials.
Rocks = Inert (usually) substances that provide soil structure and drainage to your soil.
Perfect soil = An opinion of anyone which grow the best and happiest plants in a garden. This is a combination of Existing soils + needed amendments to attract the natural balance of the above to achieve a desired product of plant.
What you Have = An evaluation of existing soil in varied locations of your garden that varies widely in most soils. You will need to find out (soil test and sediment evaluation) what is there in every area of the garden. This requires an knowledgeable choice of soils to submit, an in home sediment of existing soils, and an understanding of what you want to grow.
PH = the Alkalinity or Acidity of the soil. Plants require one through the other to grow. PH =acid under 7(neutral). Alkaline over 7(neutral)
Finally the sediment study is easily done in a clear glass jar which is 2/3 soil and 1/3 water. Shake this mixture and wait for sediment to settle. (this may take several days) Then you understand what you have to work with. Visually very helpful to knowing what to add to achieve desired results.
Lastly you need to learn local unique problems (from soil specialists) to your area. Most soil specialists are more than willing to talk and assist you locally. Soil Conservation districts are everywhere and are free to the public. (Except testing)
The Good=compost Bad=compacted soil Ugly=what you have.
I did not take time to read the posts, will come back and read later when feel more up to it.
For those of you who did not know I had to go to hosp, by ambulance, April 30 for major emergency surgery. Was in ICU for more than three days and don't remember much of that time. Was released to come home May 8. Since I live by myself they wanted me to go to nursing home for several days, but I persuaded the Dr. that I would be okay at home and in my own bed. My youngest son came to help me for a few days. He had to go back home to the coast Sunday, May 14, but did lots of chores for me while here.
My problem was ruptured diverticulitis with the resulting poison released into colon. Now have a temp. colostomy, so have most of this to look forward to again in a few months.
Am still going to Dr. Am also trying to get some tiny bit of gardening done. Yesterday managed to get my four eggplant seedings and 5 peppers planted in one of my three raised beds and oh yes the pole beans seeds into the ground. Not much else done. Very frustrating this time of year not to feel well enough to garden. But I am getting better each day.
Still not spending much time in front of computer .
Donna
Wow Donna I am glad you are back with the living. Those kind of things cause some severe pain. I will pray for your ability to get out in the garden ASAP. You will just have to live off watching your beautiful garden grow for a while instead of competing with Ohme's gardens. Relax and enjoy but get out and sit and watch your creation bloom.
This is all I have time for:
Hot Feet!
There is an advantage to slow composting. No hot feet from boiling water dumped on compost. Though it reminds me of walking barefoot through cow manure in my dairy farm days. Ahhhhh. Oh Kenton we have wrangler bluejeans at Walmart for 11.99. You might want to check it out. PS maybe you should spend less time in the compost pile or you life might pass by quickly with a distinct earthy odor.
I am trying to get a source of fish guts mixed with seaweed up here to start to market to the lower 48. What do you think? "The best of the ocean" is the name that will be on the bag. We need to get together for investors. OK Sue your in for 10,000,000.00, Kenton 4,000,000.00
and I'm into it for $0.00. I think I (oh we) will make a lot of money. Waiting on your checks. Just a thought but I think this would be a highly marketable item lets think about a better name.
The check is in the mail :)))))
I m still waiting for the weather to perk up here, to make my beds, hmmmm waiting .......... waiting................. is it done raining yet.???!!!!
Well i brought my neighbor homemade chicken soup, then she came over to ask for some left over floweres i had dug up and offered her. She plucked my parsely !!!! she though it was a weed!!!! hahahahah i cracked up, i thought that was the funniest thing, i laughed. I said " thats parsely " ,and then she said " really it looked like a big weed?" so i said " no taste it" she took a big bite from the top of the plant. " mmmm your right it is parsely" she said
i still get a chuckle out of it.
sue
Imagine a grown woman not knowing what parsley looks like! Was it flat leaf? I'll be even more surprised if it was the curly kind they put on plates in restaurants all over the country and she still didn't recognize it. Does this woman ever get out?
"Tee heee heee."
There are advantages to slow composting. Better neighbor relations for one. You ought to smell that baby in the driveway when it needs a diaper change, er, turning. There are scientific reasons that escape my present state? no, care- of mind.
Oh Steve old boy. I am past due in telling you that your heading essay for this thread is quite well done. And that my check that is garanteed not to bounce is in the mail.
And I want to post a picture of a delightful plant that Donna (keep her in your prayers/thoughts) sent me some time back. This is it after it adjusted to Colorado air.
Kenton
It is a Brugmansia 'Snowbank' with a seedpod. The banana-shape of the pod distinguished Brugmansia from Datura (which have spike-ball pods). I do, in fact, grow too many bananas, real ones...
Are you having a hot wave like Montana is. I haven't hooked up my irrigation yet so my honey bun is watering until 10 pm. We are still cool up here in AK.
No, this heat is normal. Just a tad early.
I wish we were having some heat, a huge cold front is lingering here for the last two weeks, thunderstorms,winds at 30-40 mph, then a microburst, blew my igloo dog house 30 ft yikes, i have all my plants in doors under windowsills, garage ,any room that has a window an d sun.Some are in a cold frame doing ok.Surprised cold frame is still standing :) to wet an muddy to do anything, ,aaaaarrrgghghghhg very frustrating, i m soooooo bored. The wind is soo cold, i tried to put out some maters and wow ripped them to shreds.
I have wood for 3 8' beds the rest is jsut soil and will have to deal with that , i can still make walk ways with straw or i do have some stepping stones. Send me some heat Kenton and Steve.
sue
No heat up here in AK. Right now it is cloudy and almost snowing and it is 2:30 pm! The sun was out and beautiful till 2:00. So Forget it sue you will have a good snow in the next 2 to 3 days. I have no idea where Montana is getting their heat.
I believe this is the coolest spring I have ever experienced. Not that I am complaining, I like cool weather. And I have plenty of blooms notwithstanding. The heat-loving vegetables are in limbo, though.
How come we are not talking about global warming? It is cold up here Burr. Wet windy cold and dark. Sounds like winter to me.
Sue when I got up in the morning I would drink COFFEE not Kaluaha and milk. It helps to look at lables when you are in the garden shed. Remember to put all of your herbicides in another room than your fertilizer. Please note I think it is wonderful that you love you dandylions enough to keep the aphids off them. LOL
Where is Lucky Ducky Kenton? He is getting that wonderful sun and I'm sure he is at the beach looking at the Bikinis.
I thought it was COLUMBIAN coffee ??!!:))))
Our aphids are waiting for my sunflowers, then we release the prayamantis egg cases, last yr i fuond several egg cases put them in a good hiding place,
Have toad hotels too, made them out of old pots with a welcome home sign, found a toad while trimming around the herb bed, It is made out really big rocks as the border, they love rocks, i like toads, very benificial and cute.
I have some ocean side propery in AZ for sale :))))) hee hee.
global warming ? i think i would rather stay in denial about that one, i drive a monster eco-unfreindly , diesel guzzleing machine haha. you People in CA look at me like i m the one responsible for the sky falling. uhg
sue
Sue slap slap! I drive a diesel extended MPG vehicle. a VW Passat turbo diesel. 38 to 40 mpg hwy. Global warming has been going on since the Ice age and now we are running out of things to talk about on CNN and other all day news stations and the discussions are all inflammatory. Life is good and the sun still comes up in the east. So trust in the plan cause if it is hydrocarbon emissions we haven't even started on an alternative source. Well alchol. I have always wanted a drag racer that burns corn liquor. Just think when you get tired driving just siphon out the fuel and have a margarita. Hee Hee.
I have never and would never go to a monster truck thingy. What do you do between the crunch and roar? Boring.
Miss, do you find that the flowers ahve better color when it is cool?
Sue- corn liquor can't be good for you. Grow some applejack, er, apples, instead.
I'll bet a monster truck could turn compost pretty quick.
Kenton
A monster truck is compost.
I that your back?
Kenton, I have indeed been feeling that my flowers look particularly good right now, but I thought that it might be subjective, or related to the fact that I have prescription glasses now (for the first time in my life). Also, cooler air is clearer air around here, because we live in such wet woods; whenever the temp is up so is the humidity. Of course, it does make sense that cooler temperatures would help to convserve the pigments in flowers, and that they would last longer. That's why florists have coolers, isn't it?
Good question and thought missgarney. What about it Kenton?
If I were the INCREDIBLE MR LIMPIT it would be but I am the incredible Dr Lowry and that is a photo of my beach excursion wednesday.
I liked this one cause it talked of the struggle this 3 wheeler had climbing the mountain in the mind of the child who left it here.
"Oh, Captain, we made it to the summit. We've run out of oxygen and food, I think we should eat the front tire."
Yes I thought the same thing. yes I picked it up and now the beach is clean. Well except for all the soil ammendment going on. Buffalo sh.. everywhere and a lot of kelp for composting. I need a bigger suitcase to haul home some. Kenton you didn't answer Missgarney. What do you think?
Hey Sue I looked closely and my name IS on your compost er. You may not see it but it is written in black. Nice tumbler. Your soil structure is great! Please note way too much lawn! Start building your garden sites. Also please take a picture of the maples in the fall across from your house. Why didn't you tap the sap this February?
You can tape sap from them HAHAHAHA LOVE IT
aaah but i do have pics of them in fall, and they are georgous!!!!!!!!!!!! I will misss them if we move. :( I just have to find the pics of the fall trees.
I have stopped walking on my soil and place a few board for a path, until i can get my beds up, today was a perfect weather day, but we had a showing of our house so i had to leave all day, came home and took a long walk in the meadow acrooss the street, It doesn't get any better than that, walking wit hmy kids and no one was arguing , hitting, biting or throwing things.
sue
I always used rope and tied up my children when they were bad so you might consider...... I want a picture of the maples in the fall. Didn't you get sap and make syrup. They look like sugar maples to me.
I'll send you pictures if you send to me. LOL this is a group of mussels on a rock up here in Kodiak, AK
yes i was told they are sugar maples , idid not know i could do that ??? wowzers i m stoked. i do have pics of them in fall, i just have to go look for them in which box. I did think about duct tape, expecially the 15 yr old LOL.
I love mussels, as a kid we used to go to the beach with a friend and her mom to collect them.Of course my mom never new it was a NUDE beach hee hee. Yum that pic is making me hungry.
Do sugar ma ple need any particular soil or additive i should give it?? As soon as i can get some compost i will add it to them in the fall , if we are still here.
sue
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