Adobe

We had several weeks of torrential rains that flooded my garden with 'way too much water, and I planted seeds in between the rainstorms. Now we're having hot sunny days and near-record high temps. That's causing a problem in getting my garden seeds up.

I've got lots of compost mixed into my soil, but the soil has a lot of clay. Now I've got a hard dry layer on top, about 1/4" thick, with good soil moisture underneath. The soil is cracking on top like a dry lake bed.

Sprouting seeds are having a hard time getting through that "adobe" cap. Bean seeds will often raise a chunk of it up and break through, but melon and cucumber seeds aren't that strong. I've just done some replanting, and this time I sprinkled the rows with a little water. The soil underneath doesn't need water, but my plan is to keep the top layer damp in the rows so it doesn't get hard and so the seeds can get through.

Has anybody else had that problem, and how did you handle it?

This message was edited May 18, 2008 2:35 PM

For smaller areas like melon or squash hills, you can put about an inch of moist peat moss on top.

I'd put down wet shredded black and white newspaper and cover with just a little topsoil, compost or peat moss to hold them down. That should help soften the soil and bring the worms to help aerate the area.

I can beat both of those (skip the peat and leave it in the bogs!) - what I find works really well on keeping the top soil moist is lawn clippings - a good 2-3 inch layer will hold the moisture in like a wet duvet - and keep your worms happy happy, while also working as a brillant weed suppressant and slug deterrent. Its free (you can even take it off your neighbour's hands - they'll love you for it if they aren't into composting) - and in the autumn, just turn it into the soil for more worm feed, or leave it where it is and mulch over lightly. It'll be long gone before the following spring, and you will have the start of a layer of rich crumbly top soil. Fabulous.

Good idea, Laurie! Just watch to make sure you are getting grass clippings that are not loaded with herbicides, you don't want that in your veggies.

Good point doccat - so good idea to start with your own until you can check out your neighbour's lawn care habits.

I sure agree about the grass-clippings mulch - I mulch my whole vegetable garden that way every year.

The reason I have the soil-crusting problem now is that I don't have my garden completed. My tomato and pepper plants are in, and bean, cucumber, corn, and melon seeds are mostly up - I'm also getting a few weeds now. I'll till between rows one more time, then get my soaker-hose grid in place for all the plants, then start catching grass clippings from the lawn for mulch.

I'll have that all squared away by the end of this month, and then the garden will be good for the season. In the meantime I've gotta keep the soil in those rows soft so the rest of the seeds can sprout - and I'm doing that by watering just the rows lightly every day.

My grass clippings have had dandelion seeds in them up till now. So remember that when using grass clippings.

Ozark,, I thought that you were looking for options to get seedligs through soil without crusting. ...not cover your whole garden. Moist peat moss is very good for topping off hills of squash and such to keep the ground soft for sprouting.

The problem with using peat is that it does mean the continuation of digging up peat bogs - which aren't replaceable. Over here the move is away from the use of peat and using alternatives - infact its now actually getting hard to find peat. I'm surprised this hasn't taken hold in the US, and particularly on this thread where everyone is interested in conservation and organics. Maybe we should start a discussion on it.

Found this link, I thought some of you might be interested ttp://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/profiles0208/choosepeatfree.asp

This message was edited May 20, 2008 8:30 PM

Please, let's not get a peat war going,..ok?

Sorry Indy - I wasn't looking for a war, just adding to the collective thinking that is so fertile on this thread. I apologize if it has caused any friction.

All the peat moss I buy is from Canada, and they do have a reclamation process that restores the peat bogs. So I don't worry about using it at all. It really helps when I add it to the clay soil I have when I'm planting my veggies.

Laurie, Thank you for your very nice response.
I believe that the contentions from a "discussion" are not productive on this item. There are some REAL positives on both "sides".. ....and and I vote to let the dust lie.