Starting a New Field

I will have the opportunity to farm a portion of my neighbors property. He used to plant turnip greens there but as his health declined, he let it sit. It is now covered with small baby pines and grasses. The soil was somewhat sandy if I remember correctly.

This piece of property is somewhat different from my gardens in that is relatively flat and has little of the bedrock.

How would I approach getting this land ready to plant? Obviously it would have to be cleared but then what?

Thanks for any help?

BB

Once you have cleared the plot of baby pines and grasses, a good place to start would be with a soil test. If it's a very, very large plot you could take three or four soil samples. The cooperative extension should be able to do a soil test or recommend where to have one done. Ask the tester to recommend amendments and fertilizers to get the soil ready for planting and also ask them to describe the soil structure and texture--if it's sandy loam you are in an excellent situation. If it's very sandy you will need organic amendments (compost or a green manure crop) to get the soil in vegetable growing condition. From there you can decide if you want to go organic (build the soil with compost and use no chemicals) or use synthetic chemical fertilizers.

I clear the area in the fall and then till every few weeks over the next growing season to get rid of all the seeds that have been sitting in the plot the fallowing season it is ready to plant yes it is a lost growing season but it is the best way since if you just clear and plant you will be weeding for ten years every day and it is just to frustrating to see the plants not produce properly since they have to fight for water and nutriants and water with the weeds.

when you are doing all the tilling it is the perfect time to add compost and manure which is building up the soil to perfection.

mona

Thanks

welcome

When I moved to my house I started gardening immediately. I would have been SO much better off if I'd spent a year amending soil.

Just curious, BB, but how big are those baby pines? 1 ft? 5 ft? Most pines can be easily yanked out by hand if they are only knee high or so, especially in sandy soil. And a weed wrench can pull others fairly easily. I'd had to see a big bulldozer come in there and ruin the tilth of your new garden area. After all, if the owner used to grow greens there it can't be too far gone.

And remember, if you have enough of a cleared area you can easily sow an edible green manure the very first year, get a harvest (and sales!) and improve the soil at the same time. I really don't think I'd let it lay fallow when you can start growing in it asap, BB.

Will respond more later if interested. (Brrr...cold here and guess who woke up to no hot water this morning? Off to fix the water heater now.)

Shoe