Subject: Re: [permaculture] Very few worms in acid soil
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:45:57 +0100
Thanks for your reply!
Actually, as a follower of the permaculture practices, that's my attitude
too. Of course I am growing blueberries and other goodies which are adapted
to these conditions too.
As I am living on the small island of Madeira (Portugal), in an oceanic warm
temperate climate zone, and as there is only a very limited variety of
cultivars available locally and therefore proven to be well adapted, I am
testing at the moment, or rather trying to do so, a wider range of
varieties, in order to finally select the best tasting, best adapted and the
ones, which will help to extended the harvest periods. After this trial
period I will be able to give the plants, which are adapted a lot more
space. It's a rather wonderous story though, that some plants of the same
species are growing reasonably well, while others in the, at least
seemingly, very similar conditions are struggling a lot, and it does not
seem to make any difference, whether they are living very close to some
acacias, or a few endemic plants, or more on their own.
Luckily a lot of subtropical and tropical highland species are growing
reasonably well in these conditions. Though unfortunately, there are just a
few available here, or in the rest of Europe, which has extremely few places
with similar or subtropical climates. So I would like to take this
opportunity to ask everybody who is cultivating edible and otherwise useful
plants in such climatic zones, and who is interested in exchanging and/or
selling plants and/or propagation material, to please contact me.
Wishing all the best
Vital
----Original Message Follows----
From: chauncey williams <chaunceyfree@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Very few worms in acid soil
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:45:56 -0700 (PDT)
Just my thought but maybe sometimes you just can;t change what nature
intends to keep. Maybe you should work with what you got instead of against
it. Plant blueberries and other acid loving plants and for your veggies
maybe think about a raised bed and bring in compost to fill it.
I have a garden in Vermont where the soil is super acidic, but I didn't try
and change it. I built a raised bed, added heaps of organic material, and
now I have good looking veggies growing right next to the healthiest
blueberries I have ever seen.
The soil of my plot has a pH of about 4.1 and is poor. I hardly ever find
any earthworms in the soil and very few in the mulch. I have been mulching
for about 10 years with the prunings of the acacias, which grow between the
fruit trees. As it may have a positive effect on suppressing weeds and
preserving soil moisture, it does seem to have very little effect, if at
all, on the soil fertility. I did apply the - from the agricultural
laboratory (based on a soil analysis) - recommended amounts of soil
correctives, like calcified seaweed and other plant or rock based mineral
supplements.
Can anyone tell me what else I can do to improve the soil and to possibly
get earthworms, which penetrate, aerate and fertilize the soil?
Kind regards
Vital
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