my results

so i been off the puter fer awhile so i figured i'd catch up on the garden

the two table top boxs were pretty much a bust, the carrots got no bigger than a regular size cigerette, the beets = peanut m&m's, lettuce 2 inchs tall. the arugala did well so did the kale the two pepper plants didnt develope any peppers the califlower and aspargus both had huge root balls but the stems were spindly and no flowers. the 9 green bean plants all died 2 months after transplanted. i planted 2 birdhouse gourd plants ended up with 17 nice size gourds i happy with that. the tomato plants were pretty much a bust, out of 5 plants we got half doz. maters tween the bugs an soil its a wonder we got any. the corn patch didnt fair any better, two decent ears off 24 plants. the summer squash did fairly well zucccini did too. she made 10 loafs of zuccini bread. my best guess would be the supposed 6 differant animal manure i bought either wasnt mixed that well an only had 1 or 2 types or it had more chicken than anything an things got burned from to much nitrogen. hard to pinpoint unless i send it to get tested. but in the end sence its my first year doin sfg i'm not discuraged still learnin.



boog

boog1 wrote:
my best guess would be the supposed 6 differant animal manure i bought either wasnt mixed that well an only had 1 or 2 types or it had more chicken than anything an things got burned from to much nitrogen. hard to pinpoint unless i send it to get tested. but in the end sence its my first year doin sfg i'm not discuraged still learnin.

boog

I hope someone corrects me if I am wrong but I think the problem may be the compost. Manure is one kind of compost and although you might use a couple of manures I think sticking to only manure may be limiting and high in salts. Compost should consist of a variety of elements including vegetable wastes, So when adding compost for the new season, I would endeavor to get something a little more well rounded?

I would like to hear what others may say too.

I definitely agree that 6 types of manure are only one type of compost. I also think the concentration of minerals/salts in manure would be way too high to effectively grow much.

I would dilute it with other composting materials as soon as you can find them before next spring and mix the garden again. Otherwise, you will likely get the same results.

Glad to have you back, boog.

Hey boog, glad to hear that you're working again...I bet you were driving Mama crazy!

Each type of manure is considered to be a different type of compost because:
different stuff into the front end=different stuff out the back end.

Another advantage of raised beds in general, not just SFG, is that salts don't accumulate to damaging levels because they are easily rinsed out when watering.

It's hard to say what type of compost you really bought. We've had a lot of members this year do poorly with their retail compost. There just aren't any standards in the compost business.

Hopefully you have started to do some composting on your own this year. Grass and leaves are usually easy to get started with, and they would help balance out your all manure mix. I can never remember the ratios of browns and greens they recommend, or even what that means. I can remember 'poops and plants' though. I've had very good results when my compost is around 50% of each. Even 40-60, one way or another, works good.

How many new boxes are you adding this year?

boffer wrote:
Each type of manure is considered to be a different type of compost because:
different stuff into the front end=different stuff out the back end.
How many new boxes are you adding this year?

Boffer, thanks for clarifying. I suspected I did not know what I was talking about! LOL! I agree about retail compost of any type. It is hard enough to regulate food much less food wastes.

i ended up emptying both boxs so i could move them into the garage for the winter. i had a old wooden crate so i cut out the bottom slates and one side as i shoveled the dirt into it i put a layer of leaves more dirt then grass clippings then more dirt. i left a pile of leaves next to the crate to rot down to use next year. as to buffers question about more boxs ?? yes i had plans to add 4x4 so the other half could have more asearagus in a couple of years. also i have a 3x3 tabletop planned for just herbs. and i'm trying to decide on what size and type of a greenhouse i want to put up next year. scouring the net for ideas and pricing.

boog

If you used manure, NOT composted manure, but just straight manure, there's your problem. A simple test(especially for chicken manure "compost" that we get down here) is: does it smell bad? The chicken "composted" manure that I get down here smells awful, the ammonia assaults the nose! That isn't composted at all. I let it air out and compost a little more in a garbage can with holes in it. It doesn't take long, like a few weeks.

How often did you water? Seeing as you're in Mississippi(/throws rock), your summers may have been as hot and dry as mine. I was watering almost twice a day on the tabletops during the summer. I no longer use the tabletops because of the excessive need to water in my climate. Maybe if experimenting with less drain holes might have made a difference, but unless I get extra money to try different designs, tabletops will not be in my future.

I'd also strongly suggest thinking about drip irrigation. It isn't all that expensive, but can be confusing as hell to set up for the first timer. Google drip irrigation setups before buying anything. With drip irrigation, it will have a small wet spot on top of the mel's mix, but from my experience, the water will spread out about 12" around an emitter(some might say that's a coincidence, I say it's destiny!). The small amount of water on the top means less evaporation during the day. Couple that with setting the timer for ~4 a.m., and you reduce your chances for fungus issues also.

Last, but not least: Mississippi Extension Website Go here for localized tips.

I lied..

There is a certifying agent for compost, soils and other gardening items. While the OMRI is more for organic gardening, it can be used for SFG. There are only 2 OMRI certified composts that I have seen in my area: Black Kow composted cow manure and mushroom compost. Everything else is a crapshoot.

Seeing as you're in Mississippi

nope mi. as in michigan not miss.

boog

M state thread started here
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t9488p60-senseless-banter#90327

whoops...

I blame it on the jackson part, it wasn't my fault.

boog1 wrote:i ended up emptying both boxs so i could move them into the garage for the winter. i had a old wooden crate so i cut out the bottom slates and one side as i shoveled the dirt into it i put a layer of leaves more dirt then grass clippings then more dirt. i left a pile of leaves next to the crate to rot down to use next year. as to buffers question about more boxs ?? yes i had plans to add 4x4 so the other half could have more asearagus in a couple of years. also i have a 3x3 tabletop planned for just herbs. and i'm trying to decide on what size and type of a greenhouse i want to put up next year. scouring the net for ideas and pricing.

boog

Hi ,
Having just recently gone through the which greenhouse exercise , I'd offer what I was advised .. go for the biggest & strongest one you can aford. Make sure the doors are double sliding doors & at one end.
I have a 10 ft wide by 12 ft long aluminium framed 6 ft foot at the eves one , glazed in horticultural glass.

Now three and a half months down the line I'm getting the distinct feeling I should have saved a bit longer and got a much bigger 21 by 12 sized one that is seven feet high at the eves with four feet wide double sliding doorway at one end & more automatic roof and back wall vents

I have a 10 ft wide by 12 ft long aluminium framed 6 ft foot at the eves one , glazed in horticultural glass.

Now three and a half months down the line I'm getting the distinct feeling I should have saved a bit longer and got a much bigger 21 by 12 sized one that is seven feet high at the eves with four feet wide double sliding doorway at one end & more automatic roof and back wall vents

if i wanted ta do some night shoping i'd go get that brand new 12x30 they jus had put up this summer at the garden center up the road