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market-farming - Improving the Soil -- was RE: [Market-farming] Jumping Into Farming

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  • From: Matt Cheselka <cheselka AT freestateproject.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Improving the Soil -- was RE: [Market-farming] Jumping Into Farming
  • Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 12:01:56 -0600 (CST)

On Wed, 10 Mar 2004, Tradingpost wrote:

> We're all learning, and lacking some of the hands on experience of
> several experts here, it's the only way I can do it. You're ahead of me
> since I'm in the soil building stage with low rainfall and soil with
> little organic matter that's never been farmed. So our challenges are
> probably very different.

Yeah. I'm actually a bit confused about my experience in improving the
soil I have around here. Before I made any improvements, things would
grow, sorta, but they'd either be very small (cantaloupe a couple inches
across and tastes tarrible) or not produce anything. I've got a clay
soil with practically no org matter in it at all.

Six months ago, I dug up 1000 sq ft of my backyard and tilled in about 10
cu ft or peat moss and 10 cu ft of composted cow manure. Viola! My
veggies are growing like CRAZY!

Out at my larger place (about 5000 sq ft) I'm just adding compost. The
soil out there is different -- it's a mixture of sand and clay, but it
also has a LOT of roots (it use to be a field of grass). I planted
alfalfa and clover just to see if it'd grow on the unimproved soil and to
my surprize it's taking off like gangbusters! I know that the compost
will help quite a big with the market veggies, so I'll continue to do
that. I'm putting on a cubic yard of compost per 250 sq ft and we'll see
how it goes. I should be able to get my first few lettuces out there in
the next couple of weeks.

I do want to do a soil test, but in truth if the plants are happy, all i
can assume is that I have a happy soil!

Matt
Cosmic Lettuce





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