OT -- Garden Help

poster

The last 2 years my garden seems to be over run with weeds and poor crops. Did some testing this year (DIY kit) and found the soil to have a ph of 7.25 but deficient in Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus. Looking at fertilizers, would i be best with a 10-10-10 as all three levels are low? Also how long after fertilizing can i plant? This isn't a raised bed but a 34x14 garden. Should i till it in? I have never used the stuff before honestly, but am hoping to get some better results this year.

Gulfcoastguy

Till once or twice, broadcast the fertilizer and then till it in. This fall cover it with a thick layer of hardwood leaves. Till them in the next spring.

Langner91

When I gardened, I also tilled the "green" matter in at the end of the season.  Some people pull all the vegetation out and discard or burn.  I tilled it all back in and it breaks down over the winter.

For weeds, I always put one layer of newspaper down and covered it with grass clippings from the yard (as long as there was no weed killer on the grass).  The grass acts to hold the moisture in and the newspaper keeps the weeds at bay.  The newspaper breaks down over the summer, and I simply tilled it in in the fall with the grass clippings and green material.

All of that and a healthy offering of miracle grow!

hoosier_egger

Broadcast and till it in is what I have always done. I'll even side-dress a row mid season.

I pull plant matter at the end of the season. Tilling it back in can create disease issues with certain plants.

fishlessman

i till in some bogg peat and coastal compost with blue shell mussels and sea urchin shells, and sprinkle the fertilizer on top a few times a year after the new plants start growing, have put a little fertilizer under the plant with a little compost and soil when planting. go to a real garden center and find the guy that knows. my garden sits on a spring so its somewhat self watering and i also hit it with river water.  oven birds nesting in a cave under the chives and lavander may help, thats new this year

butt_juice

I am a precision ag specialist for a soil sampling company. Your pH is a little on the high side. A high pH will limit the availability of P, K and Ca to your plants. It doesn't matter how much you add to the soil, if the pH is off it will keep your plants from being able to utilize certain fertilizer. You would do well to fix your pH. You need to add acidity to your soil. If you have access to gypsum, that is a good amendment. Elemental Sulfur or Aluminum Sulfate are two fast acting options as well. Your target pH should be 6.2 to 7.0.

poster

thanks for all the tips.

I assumed a ph of 7.25 was so close to 7 that it wouldn't make a difference

kl8ton

poster said:

thanks for all the tips.

I assumed a ph of 7.25 was so close to 7 that it wouldn't make a difference

In pool water tenths make big difference.  7.4-7.6 is what you need there.  Never thought about it as it applies to growing in soil.  

alaskanassasin

you have to manage the weeds. leave enough space between your rows to work a tiller through then hoe dirt the loose dirt to bury the weeds between the plants. What does your irrigation set up look like?

poster

alaskanassasin said:

you have to manage the weeds. leave enough space between your rows to work a tiller through then hoe dirt the loose dirt to bury the weeds between the plants. What does your irrigation set up look like?

I just water in the evenings when needed. Not a lot of dry spells here and also not a lot of heat waves. July on is usually really humid here too

alaskanassasin

Any pictures? Shady? Full sun? @ColtsFan makes a good point about side dressing, that’s what I do and water it in.