GARDENING IN POOR
SOIL
What are your
options if your soil isn't very
rich? Here are some examples
of poor soils.
1. Compacted soil.
This
soil doesn't absorb rain well,
and has very little airflow down
into the soil.
2. Clay soil.
For
one reason or another, the top
soil has been stripped away,
leaving just clay. You
need a lot of help.
3. Sandy soil.
For
very sandy soils, if you don't
have good organic content to
hold onto nutrients, fertilizers
can be flushed away with a good
rain.
4. Soil low in organic
matter.
The
long-term use of chemical
fertilizers or poor conservation
methods can contribute to this
condition.
5. Soil damaged by
chemicals.
Chemical fertilizers are high in
salt that kills microbes in the
soil. Pesticides and
herbicides are detrimental to
soil life as well.
Of course, your
long-term goal is to correct these
problems in the soil. You
could till up your soil and add in a
ton of compost, either homemade or
purchased, such aspeat
compost, composted manure, mushroom
compost, blood or bone meal, or
vermicast (worm castings). However,
this could get quite expensive, and
be very labor intensive. Better yet,
apply 64 ounces per acre of
GroPal Balance A,
to balance nutrients in the soil.
Option B
- Rely heavily on foliar
feedings.
Plants have
little openings in their leaves,
called Stomata. These open in
the evenings when the temperature
falls below 80 degrees, and close in
the morning, when temperatures rise
above 80 degrees, which helps the
plant to retain its moisture.
Foliar feedings feed the plant
through their Stomata, and are best
done when the Stomata are open.
An
Intensive Fertility Program for Poor
Soils
I planted a
garden in an area with very poor
soil. This is what I did to
overcome this problem.
1. Organic
matter. I used a garden
tiller to break up the top 5 or 6
inches of soil. In areas that were
totally red clay I mixed in a little
mushroom compost and cow manure
compost to add organic matter.
I didn't add a lot of this because
of cost. If money was no
object a 1 part compost to 2 parts
soil works well.
2. Calcium.
Since the soil was so poor, I mixed
in 100 pounds of High
Cal. lime per
1,000 sq. ft. A standard
application is 40 lbs. per 1,000 sq.
ft. Better yet, apply half an
ounce per 1,000 square feet of
GroPal Balance A, to help free up
calcium that is already in the soil.
3. At
planting. Next I used a
garden rake to form the soil into
raised beds or rows, depending on
the crop. I mix 3 ounces of GroPal
Balance A with a gallon of water, and
use this as a planting solution.
For each seed planted, close
the hole, than pour an ounce of a
gallon mix which contains an ounce
of GroPal Balance A. Where the
soil was just clay, I put 2 ounces
over each seed. This mixture
greatly improves germination, and
gives the plant a good start.
4. Pre-emergence. If
you have not already done so, apply
1/2 ounce of GroPal Balance per 1,000
sq. ft. I like to put mine into a
watering can, putting in enough
water to wet the soil.
5. Two
weeks after the plants emerged from
the soil, add 2 tsp. of
GroPal Balance
F per gallon of
water, then use a spray bottle or
back pack sprayer to wet the leaves.
This application helps the plant to
establish a wonderful root structure
and to become more robust. It
has been said that, all else being
equal, a plant's yield is pretty
much determined in the first 21 days
after emerging from the soil, so
this is an important application.
For great results, I repeated this
application every 2 or 3 weeks. A
hose end sprayer will not work
because it adds too much water.
Even though your
soil may be poor, don't be surprised if you have the
best tasting and most nutritious
garden ever. Bon Appetit.
A
Fertility Program for Better
Soils
Perhaps you have
half-way decent soil, but want to
boost your garden's nutrient density
and yields.
1. Calcium. Apply
the 1/2 ounce of GroPal Balance A
per 1,000 square feet to help make
the calcium in the soil available to
the plant.
2. Organic
matter. Mix some rich
organic compounds into the soil.
Examples are mushroom compost, cow
manure compost, bat guano,
vermicast, or your own homemade
compost.
3. At
planting. If you want to
really get the plant established,
consider mixing
1 ounce of GroPal Balance A with
a gallon of water, and pour an ounce
over each seed planted.
To make a transplanting solution,
mix an ounce of GroPal Balance A per gallon of water, and
pour a little into each hole for
transplanted plants.
4. Foliar
applications can
make such a difference in the
quality of what you are growing.
You may choose to make foliar
applications once or twice a month,
or to decrease the amount in the
application and "spoon feed" the
plant with trace minerals more often.
For these foliar
applications you may choose to use a back pack sprayer or a spray
bottle, for small areas. For weekly
feedings, add 2 tsp. of GroPal
Balance F per gallon of water, and
wet the leaves.
If you want to
apply a foliar application less than
once every 2 weeks, then use 3 or 4
tsp. GroPal Balance F per gallon of
water for each application.
Remember, this
application is best made in the
morning before 10 a.m. It can
also be made in the evening after it
cools off (the stomata are
open when the air temperature is
below 80 degrees).
Recommended applications for Great
Soils
You have worked
hard to build up your soil, and it
is in great shape.
Congratulations, and good job!
In all likelihood the preceding
points 4 and 5 would still be quite
helpful.
Of greatest importance is
to make one or more foliar
applications of GroPal
Balance F, rich in concentrated
sea minerals. This product is
incredible for the wonderful balance
and density of micronutrients it
supplies to both plants and soil.