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  • From: "Frank Fries" <frank.fries AT imagewireless.ca>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Homestead] Soil and fertility
  • Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:13:12 -0600

There have been a number of comments that suggest that some of you live in areas where the soil is not very fertile. I think it was James who mentioned in a reply to Ivy, that it would take a number of years to get the soil built up to bring a garden up to production.

In my area, if you break some land (break up the sod/grass), the soil is fertile. You will just have to work to keep the grass from taking the land back for the first couple of years. To maintain the fertility over time you do need to keep putting back the nutrients you use (keep adding organic matter back).

I know that in some areas, that initial fertility is not a "gimme".

Have any of you read anything on the internet about "terra preta" soils ?

These were soils discovered in man made patches in S.America, that are dramatically more fertile than the areas around them. They were created thousands of years ago and remain fertile now. Some soil scientists are formally studying this and many "amateurs" are experimenting with trying to recreate the same thing. It appears that the reason it works "may" be related to the beneficial environment created for soil micro-organisms (or maybe not).

You may find it quite interesting - if interested do a quick google.




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