Help-do-over?

Tracydr · December 25, 2011

This fall I added a bunch of the local landscaping companies "raised bed mixture" to top off my gardens because they were nearly empty. I had really good spring gardens using nearly 100% pure composted horse manure but the compost had shrunk to 25% it's original amount.
I failed to mix the new dirt with the old compost but it was supposed to be 25% compost so I wasn't that worried about it. I did add my usual gypsum and bone meal as I filled the beds and prepared to plant.
Nearly two months ago I planted lettuce, radishes and brassicas, peas, nastaturtiums,along with celery. The celery is doing ok, at least a couple of plants are. Nastituriums and peas are doing well.
Everything else is barely growing, some don't even have true leaves yet.
Nitrogen deficiency, since the peas and nasties are doing well? I've started watering with a "chicken poop tea" the last two weeks and the radishes and lettuces are starting to grow some.
Would I be better off hauling a few tons of my own horse manure in right now, pulling some of this dirt off ( I do have a couple more beds that I can use it in as part of a mix, I still have two more huge beds to fill) and just starting my greens over? I've wasted two months with nothing to show at this point. Or, would I be better to just start fertilizing with fish emulision and just wait until after the greens/brassicas are done to redo these two gardens?
My manure is about 15 miles away but I have an unlimited amount of it. It's just a hassle since I have a small trailer and I'm a somewhat disabled person. I try to do a little at a time. I do need to get my paddocks cleaned so I need to get the manure hauled one of these days, anyway.

December 25, 2011	#1
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Help-do-over? This fall I added a bunch of the local landscaping companies "raised bed mixture" to top off my gardens because they were nearly empty. I had really good spring gardens using nearly 100% pure composted horse manure but the compost had shrunk to 25% it's original amount. I failed to mix the new dirt with the old compost but it was supposed to be 25% compost so I wasn't that worried about it. I did add my usual gypsum and bone meal as I filled the beds and prepared to plant. Nearly two months ago I planted lettuce, radishes and brassicas, peas, nastaturtiums,along with celery. The celery is doing ok, at least a couple of plants are. Nastituriums and peas are doing well. Everything else is barely growing, some don't even have true leaves yet. Nitrogen deficiency, since the peas and nasties are doing well? I've started watering with a "chicken poop tea" the last two weeks and the radishes and lettuces are starting to grow some. Would I be better off hauling a few tons of my own horse manure in right now, pulling some of this dirt off ( I do have a couple more beds that I can use it in as part of a mix, I still have two more huge beds to fill) and just starting my greens over? I've wasted two months with nothing to show at this point. Or, would I be better to just start fertilizing with fish emulision and just wait until after the greens/brassicas are done to redo these two gardens? My manure is about 15 miles away but I have an unlimited amount of it. It's just a hassle since I have a small trailer and I'm a somewhat disabled person. I try to do a little at a time. I do need to get my paddocks cleaned so I need to get the manure hauled one of these days, anyway.