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Gilbertsville PA

I have a patch that is 40 x 30 there is a place near me that sells composted horse menure that is 4 to 5 years old . How many yards should or could I put on it now so I can plant in the spring ,they also sell mushroom compost by the yard too . How much of that can I add also with the menure.
thanks Mike McQ

2/24/2004 7:05:07 PM

Montoursville, PA

Mike....your answers may differ somewhat but I would suggest two inches of each over all. My guess that would be about a cubic yard. With that I would find me a fifty pound bag of organic 5-3-4 or even lower numbers fertilizer and maybe ten pounds of Jersey Green Sand and ten pounds of Azomite from Fertrell Co. and till it all in together. Up here that would be about a fifty dollar package if I had to pay for it all.

This year I am adding 20 lbs of kelp meal to my patch in the spring. We have the same size patches.

In the fall I would go for 6 inches of manure, another 2 of mushroom and all the leaves I could till in. Hit that with fish and molasses and plant a cover crop. My Green Sand and Ironite or Azomite with lime to adjust PH if needed based on a soil test.

Your salts may go up a little when you are pushing large amounts of manures and composts into your soil. If so add a bag or two a year of Gypsum. This will also help your clay base develop better structure and drainage.

The following spring I would only use the 5-3-4 , fish, kelp and molasses.

If for any reason you feel shy on nitrogen toss two big handfuls, of blood meal, in the nursery areas only and till them in. Don't over do it with the blood meal. It is 10%+ nitrogen ready to be used.

You are working in the area of some, of the best remaining soil, in the East. Good luck, on the build and super results from your efforts, to make it even better.

2/24/2004 7:48:40 PM

Eugene, OR

Mike, Dwaine definitely knows his soil. He and Steve(Tremor) won't steer you wrong.

Thanks for the info on gypsum. I'll have to try that for my sticky soil.

Also, 2" over 1200 sq. ft. will be a little less than 7.5 cubic yards.

Brian

2/24/2004 8:00:51 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

If that Horse manure is 5 years old I might be even more generous than Dwaine. But we're in agreement on all other points. Did you get a full soil test done yet? If not, there's still time.

Steve

2/24/2004 9:42:51 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I added 680 lbs of gypsum, about 6 yards of compost, 300 bags of leaves, 110 lbs. of greensand, 200 lbs. dry cattle molasses feed, 4 yards horse manure, and 50 lbs blood meal to <3000 sq ft. heavy clay in the fall and tilled the other day...looking sweet and fluffy.

2/24/2004 9:55:01 PM

Deer Park WA

We added 25 yards of 1 year old dairy manure, 20 yards of gray 700' deep well drilling sand from an interbed, and 30 yards of black sandy loam top soil (it's good to be in construction)along with a cover crop of Hairy Vetch and Winter Rye to a 5000 + sq ft patch, screw the soil test now(waste of money). All in all it was ripped in with a 2-bottom JD plow in a heavy clay area, I have a beauty of a 40 yard compost windrow going I my add this spring. wish me luck!

2/25/2004 1:20:45 AM

Forestville, NY

6 to 8 inches is just fine --you just need to use 4 oz of molasses and fish to the gal of water and 6oz of symbex to the gal of h2o mix it all together--spray on the soil till the soil turns from light to dark--till in 8 to 10inchs---that it--

2/25/2004 4:06:35 PM

Forestville, NY

6 to 8 inches is just fine --you just need to use 4 oz of molasses and fish to the gal of water and 6oz of symbex to the gal of h2o mix it all together--spray on the soil till the soil turns from light to dark--till in 8 to 10inchs---that it--

2/25/2004 4:07:32 PM

Gilbertsville PA

Thanks guys for the info and good luck to you all this year
Mike McQ

2/25/2004 7:20:12 PM