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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] soil amendments, first time usage, and mulch questions

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: Pumpkin Lady <pumpkin@xanadoo.com>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] soil amendments, first time usage, and mulch questions
  • Date: Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:08:52 -0600

TradingPostPaul wrote:


On soil pH, I hate to guess but I question adding a lot of sulfur or
anything to try to change pH quickly. However, the Rodale books say adding
organic matter or finished compost tends to buffer high or low pH so plants
grow properly.

Sulfur is not a "quick fix" it takes about 6 months to get in and get going and lasts years. I'm not trying to lower it tons. I've gardened in this area before, and the beds I put sulfur in every 3-5 years have a (slightly) lower pH and the plants seem (lots) happier in than the bed I didn't. It's more of a maintenance thing once it gets in there, and if I was doing it at my old house, I'd just sprinkle it on the top and mulch over it and make the assumption it would work in eventually and be fine. The problem is this is a completely new place and no one has done anything to it AFAICT except overgraze it.

The soil itself is marginally high...the WATER is more than the poor plants will be able to take, though, and where I live, watering is a must most years. I'm just offsetting the water with something to lower the pH so the plants are happier.

>Roadside grass may take up a lot of exhaust fumes.

Which consist of what bad things that plants can uptake these days?

You used to hear a lot about roadside plants having lead, but gas doesn't contain that now, does it? Not that the lead goes anywhere, but I'm not sure this was a road that long ago. I know it has only been paved in the last 5 years.


Thanks,
Morgan






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