[UrbanCropCircle] notes from November meeting/information about upcoming meetings

[Ingela Wanerstrand]

Thank you Susan,Paula & Jade for such nicely written notes!
-Ingela

On Nov 4, 2010, at 9:23 AM, Susan Helf wrote:

> Dear fellow gardeners,
> At the UCC meeting on Monday, Nov. 1, Ingela Wannerstrand gave a presentation
> on soil and how to amend it. Here are notes from her talk, courtesy of Paula and Jade.
> At that meeting, the group also discussed taking a trip to Cedar Grove Compost next spring.
>  
> The December 6th meeting will be a potluck and creative garden gift/seed exchange.
> At our Jan. 3rd meeting, we will focus on garden planning and.
> On Feb 7, we will put together our group seed order. 
>  
>  
> Susan
>  
> Soil & Soil Amendments:
>  
> One good and easy way to get an idea of what type of soil you have is to use the jar test method:
> 1.  Collect a soil sample from the site you want to test.  Make sure to get a vertical sample so it contains
> soil from ground level as well as about 6" below ground level and in between. 
> 2.  Put your soil into a mason jar, filling it about 1/3 full.
> 3.  Fill the rest of the jar with water, leaving some space at the top.
> 4. Shake vigorously for at least a minute to separate soil particles.
> 5. Put your jar in a place where it will not be disturbed for several days.  
>  
> When most all of the soil particles have settled in the jar, there should be at least 3 distinct layers of particles.
> 1- On the bottom will be SAND (the heaviest)
> 2- On top of the sand will be SILT
> 3- On top of the silt will be CLAY
> 4- Any ORGANIC MATTER will settle on the top layer and will usually appear darker in color.  
>  
> Soil Types:
>  
> Soils with a lot of CLAY hold water well (e.g. don't drain well), and also are hard to get to absorb water once they have
> dried out.Soils with a lot of SAND can be good for root crops because they are usually not as compacted and easy
> for the roots to push through. A LOAM is usually a good mix of all three types of soil particles: sand, silt and clay
>  
> Feed the Critters:
>  
> One important aspect of maintaining soil health is to make sure to feed the microbes that have beneficial relationships with
> the plants we grow.  One example of this is the use of inoculant when planting legume crops.  The inoculant introduces rhizobia
> bacteria into the soil, which the legumes need in order to fix nitrogen from the air into the soil.  The nitrogen is then made
> available to subsequent crops that are planted in that area.
>  
> N-P-K:
> These are the nutrients that all plants need in abundance.  The three numbers listed on the fertilizer packages refer to the
> amount of N-P-K in that package's mixture. 
>  
> N- Nitrogen: Promotes leafy growth in plants.  The hardest of the 3 to get and the fastest to go.  
> Sources:
>      Cover crops (esp. legumes)
>      Compost- good to add nitrogen over time as it breaks down
>      Bloodmeal- Fast way to add N to soil.  Can be added to crops that may need a boost during the growing season.
>      Compost tea
>      Alfalfa meal & cottonseed meal
>      Manure
>      
> P- Phosphorus: Promotes Fruiting and Flowering in plants.   Phosphorus not move through the soil, so it can be hard for
> plants to access.   Mycorrhizae in the soil play a major part in helping to make phosphorus available to plants.  
> Sources:
>      Bonemeal- Add at planting time
>      Rock phosphate-  This will break down overtime, so it's a good thing to add to a new bed to ensure phosphorus
>      availability for several seasons.  
>      
> K- Potassium: Also called potash.  
> Sources:
>      Kelpmeal- Also provides trace minerals
>  
> Soil Amendments:
>   
> One good recipe for amending soil of a planting bed before planting to ensure your plants will have sufficient
> nutrients:  Add compost, lime, bonemeal & kelpmeal.
>  
> Cedar Grove Compost or Worm Bin Compost:  Especially rich, Good to dig into soil, but not for mulching woody plants.
> Add to soil in the Spring and/or any time before planting.  Can be used as a mulch on perennials that die back.
>  
> Lime: Mix into soil when planting.  Dolomite Lime becomes available over time and contains magnesium,
> which plants also need.  If a fast-acting lime is needed, Super-sweet is a good option. 
>  
> Woody Mulch: Good for mulching woody shrubs & trees.  One good source of this type of mulch is
> 'Chicken and Chips': Chicken manure mixed with wood chips/shavings.  You can make your own or alternatively
> mix some compost with wood chips, shavings or sawdust.    
>   
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