www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Any gardeners here?

The soil in Houston is helpless. All the tilling in the world wouldn't be enough to restore it. Some people may have top soil, but the yard in the house I just moved in to may have an inch of top soil at best, then it goes to clay.

For the next growing season I will have a raised bed. I'm not sure how tall, maybe a foot or two. I will put a small fence around it so my dogs won't bother the plants.

What kind of mixes should I be looking to put in the bed? I calculated that I will need 7.5-9 cubic yards of soil, compost, or other biological material, depending on its density and how it takes to water. The space I have to fill will be 7.5 cubic yards.

Terry

My father, in Cypress, did really well with raised beds and we have half a backyard of raised. We also did lasagna beds. Seems to be going well.

What are lasagna beds. Is that like with how they grow mushrooms on layers of trays?

Terry

Lasagna Beds are the way you divide up the garden into little 4" x 6" or 9" x 12" sections. Then, when you plant the lasagna, it grows to the perfect size to fit into the lasagna pan. Some gardeners go so far as to use the little plastic dividers, but only the real professionals (like Stouffer's) do that.

At least that is my understanding. But then I am not a gardener. I only cultivate my neighbors who do have gardens.

It's when you don't do all the tilling, amending, etc. and instead put down newspaper, flattened boxes, or similar and then put layers of compost, mulch, and dirt on top of the separation layer.

http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

TERRY:

I used to put vermiculite in my garden. It's some sort of stuff that can hodl water and keep the ground from turning into rock-hard clay in the summer sun. I think I originally bought it for the bottom of my charcoal burner and then found that at the end of the season it was a good addition to my garden.

Save your coffee grounds and egg shells. They're good additions to building up your soil. Leaves, grass clippings, compost, and manure are also good additions. Building up your soil will take some years but in the meantime, you might also get a couple sacks of potting soil at the hardware and pour it on top of what you've got. then try to keep it tilled together and put something like railroad ties around your area to keep it all in. You can build up a small area and get great results in bad soil conditions with a small area that you intensively cultivate.

I also used a handfull of pellet fertilizer aroound my planst last year to give them a boost. I threw it on about twice a month and the results were spectacular.

BOB

The best source for coffee is Starbucks, some stores can give away pounds of spent grinds if you ask the right person.

That vermiculite looks interesting, especially for our weather and soil. Where did you get yours?

Terry

TERRY:

Though it's been some years since I bought any, I got mine at a hardware store or wherever you might find BBQ supplies for your grill. We used to buy it to put in the bottom of our charcoal grill--it kept the hot coals from damaging the metal of the grill. It's a kind of light material with a silvery appearance.
But don't be surprised if you can't find any--it's been some years since I went looking for it and don't really know if it's still available. It was just a thought I had when I read your question.

I'd also suggest you start trying to build up a relatively small patch of ground first and then expand as the years go on.

BOB

I believe that vermiculite, that comes form mines in the Montana (?) area is considered a potential carcinogen. The tiny particles, like the particles in asbestos, when inhaled tend to remain and let tumors grow. I believe that it is still available, but make sure that you wear a good quality dust/mist respirator when you mix it into the soil.

I think the coffee grounds and the egg shells will do the best help with the least potential for harm. (My Dad - may he rest - used to put the shells in a big container of water. It stunk to high heaven. Can I just rinse the shells and crunch them up and add them, or should I let them leech their calcium into the water and use that?)

Dr John

Dr. John:

My grandparents used these egg shells. They just dumped them on the gound and hoed them in along each row so that by the end of the season everything had some kind of even application. Over the winter they went in the compost pile for the following spring.

Didn't know that about vermiculite, but I never dumped it from a height; just turned the charcoal burner onto the ground and dumped it upside down. Then we'd dig a trench, put it in, and cover it--didn't have a roto tiller.

BOB

BOB

TERRY:

Stopped at my local True Value hardware store on the way home from the gym. The owner says he can order agricultural vermiculite for a couple bucks a bag. He was amazed when he read the description: it holds water for plants, it keeps soil broken up, and it helps aerate the soil among other things.

Maybe if you get a roto tiller and break up your clay a bit, add some of this stuff with some cmpost and other fertilizer, you might have a good little patch to grow some tomatoes.

BOB

Pray in honor of St Isidore the Farmer

O God, who taught Adam the simple art of tilling the soil, / and who through Jesus Christ, the true vine, / revealed Yourself the husbandman of our souls, / deign, we pray, through the merits of Blessed Isidore, / to instill into our hearts a horror of sin and a love of prayer, / so that working the soil in the sweat of our brow, / we may enjoy eternal happiness in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen

Spring delayed by a foot of snow and cold temperatures. Fortunately the snow fell before the temperature dropped to 4 degrees, hopefully sheltering the daffodil and tulip sprouts.

dwight:

It's still early here, too. Had a heavy frost just the other night.

BOB

It's supposed to be spring - what's up with this snow stuff!!!

I checked the CDC about the vermiculite. It's generally safe - but there was an 'episode' when vermiculite from Libby, Montana was found to be contaminated with asbestos. It appears that it was only from this particular mine, so current supplies should be safe.

I will however, after many years of being an occupational and health specialist for a labor union, suggest strongly that one use a "dust/mist" respirator when dealing with this substance. Any tiny, organic and non-easily-soluble material that can be inhaled represents a potential health hazard. As with pesticides that are deemed "safe", it's best to err on the side of caution - anything landing in the lungs is a potential problem-causer.

Now, let's pray for sunshine, an abundance (but not too much) of rain and tons of patience in bringing our fruits and vegetables to their glorious fruition!

As for the Administrator's comments on 'lasagna', I think for him the little blue pill is currently in order!!!

"For an abundance of the fruits of the earth...."

Dr John