First thought is wow that is a lot of stuff. I would be concerned with the amount of organic matter that is there. The lawn clippings may mat up and form tough layer to get through. I would plant under that in the horse manure and punch holes in the newspaper so the roots have an easy time running down into the soil. I would say that come next year you will have a great soil and planting area once that stuff rots down a bit.
FARM My 2016 wood chip Garden
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First thought is wow that is a lot of stuff. I would be concerned with the amount of organic matter that is there. The lawn clippings may mat up and form tough layer to get through. I would plant under that in the horse manure and punch holes in the newspaper so the roots have an easy time running down into the soil. I would say that come next year you will have a great soil and planting area once that stuff rots down a bit.
Cyclonemom
Veteran Member
I should add, that these layers were laid down late last summer in September/October. The grass did mostly break down as far as I can find, and it has compacted down to about 7 inches total. Chickens currently have access to it, so they're adding some fertilizer as well.
I should add, that these layers were laid down late last summer in September/October. The grass did mostly break down as far as I can find, and it has compacted down to about 7 inches total. Chickens currently have access to it, so they're adding some fertilizer as well.
OK that is awesome. I thought it was all fresh! Then I would plant through the newspaper in the soil.
China Connection
TB Fanatic
I have got big production from rock dust only in soil teaming with worms but lacking minerals.
Your wood chip contains a little over !% in mineral content. Seaweed dry weight, for example, has around 30%.
Rock dust is 100% mineral content.
All well and good to have loads of carbon for the soil but it is minerals that the plants need. Carbon can do wonders where the soil is only lacking biological activity to unlock minerals already present in the soil. However if the minerals are lacking in the soil than carbon is not the only thing needed.
The other thing has you seen an old load of sawdust that has been sitting in the same spot for years??????
Adding minerals and say blood meal and watch it get broken down. So much for carbon on its own.
Anyway, where I live a truckload of local chip costs a little over a hundred dollars.
Your wood chip contains a little over !% in mineral content. Seaweed dry weight, for example, has around 30%.
Rock dust is 100% mineral content.
All well and good to have loads of carbon for the soil but it is minerals that the plants need. Carbon can do wonders where the soil is only lacking biological activity to unlock minerals already present in the soil. However if the minerals are lacking in the soil than carbon is not the only thing needed.
The other thing has you seen an old load of sawdust that has been sitting in the same spot for years??????
Adding minerals and say blood meal and watch it get broken down. So much for carbon on its own.
Anyway, where I live a truckload of local chip costs a little over a hundred dollars.
My wife is currently prepping a "straw bale garden", consisting of lining up straw bales on their side, sprinkling with 5-5-10 or some such fertilizer, and watering every day until the bale temp is 110-140 or something.
We have a bunch of heirloom sprouting seedlings in the house ready to plant. The cold weather the past few weeks seem to have inhibited the temp rise she is looking for.
Obviously, I am a bystander here, hoping for the best; I am being supportive and very happy she wants to learn to grow the most efficient way (our soil, even buying Miracle grow, etc., SUCKS). I put up a fence and will help make things for the tomatoes and viney plants to grow on.
Just more prepper stuff, I hope things grow this year. I'm glad you have found a way to grow well. Wishing you continued success!
We have a bunch of heirloom sprouting seedlings in the house ready to plant. The cold weather the past few weeks seem to have inhibited the temp rise she is looking for.
Obviously, I am a bystander here, hoping for the best; I am being supportive and very happy she wants to learn to grow the most efficient way (our soil, even buying Miracle grow, etc., SUCKS). I put up a fence and will help make things for the tomatoes and viney plants to grow on.
Just more prepper stuff, I hope things grow this year. I'm glad you have found a way to grow well. Wishing you continued success!
packyderms_wife
Neither here nor there.
Where I live a truckload of local chips is free for the hauling. The city and the university begs people to come haul it away for them.
Much of that rockdust is inert, the actual useful mineral content is much lower. Compare your rockdust to wood ash. You will find them similar. While the mineral content of ramial wood chips is lower per pound the fact that you are putting hundreds of pounds of wood chips on a plot makes up for it. Sure rockdust is more portable but it also doesnt help control evaportion, erosion, cultivate the good fungi and wormss etc like wood chips. Bloodmeal essentially gives plants a shot of nitrogen not much different that a commercial fertilizer, compost tea, diluted urine etc.
My uncle is trying this as well this year. He is pretty excited about it. They normally put a large garden in each year but he has MS and it is getting harder for him to do it so I hope it works and keeps him gardening for a while longer.
Looks like Bermuda grass to me.
Hard to kill.
Johnson grass is even worse.
I put clear plastic over about 50 by 75 foot area 4 years ago for solar weed killing. Left it on for 60 days a lot of them was 100 degrees plus.
Pulled it off and two weeks later here came the Johnson grass again.