Homestead mailing list

[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

In a message dated 4/30/2008 11:21:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
lisakvperry AT gmail.com writes:


> I want to give the broccoli plants a good start. I know they need collars
> (toilet paper tubes cut up?) to avoid cut worms. These plants are a good 6
> or 7" tall and the stems are half the diameter of a pencil. Do they still
> need collars at this size? 

No.


>Soil amendments?

There needs to be calcium available.



> 
> Also, the information I read about potatoes said to put some pine needles in
> the ditch w/ the potatoes. We have those around, do you guys do this?

Potatoes need (or at least like) the most acidic soil you have, it is 
probable that the idea of putting pine needles in the soil has to do with 
acidifying 
it.  Any rotting vegetavite material applied as mulch will do the  same 
thing. 
 Sawdust, leaves, barn litter, old hay and the like acidify the soil *while 
they are decomposing*.  

As long as your potato ground hasn't been limed recently, it's probably OK.  
Neutral ground doesn't really slow the potatoes down all that much, I've 
found, but it promotes scab, which is harmless but unsightly.

But if you have abundant pine needles, they do no harm and in the end add a 
lot of organic material to the ground. 


James   </HTML>