Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old March 12, 2016   #1
zeroma
Tomatovillian™
 
zeroma's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 637
Default Apply fertilizer now, before planting?

In the past I know some experienced gardeners who broadcast fertilizer several weeks before seeds are direct sown or new seedlings are added.

1. what fertilizers are used? just straight N or a balanced 5-5-5 or what strength?

2. zone 6 here, how soon before applying? I've seen waiting until the early rains are over so it doesn't just leach out. I've read 6 weeks before planting. I've read 'several' weeks prior to planting.

3. what does it cost in your area for a basic home garden soil test for growing vegetables and some berries?


I would have loved getting a soil test this year, but so far it has not happened. I like to know what I have before just randomly adding. But this is a community garden and I'm not in charge nor do I have funding.

Just curious what you all think.

zeroma
zeroma is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 13, 2016   #2
kath
Tomatovillian™
 
kath's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
Default

I haven't grown in a community garden so I don't know if they take care of adjusting pH by adding lime to the plots or anything. If you're talking tomatoes, I generally keep it pretty simple- just dig in some compost and apply a dry organic fertilizer in a circle at least 3" away from the stem at planting time, scratch it into the dirt a bit, water, and cover with a light layer of grass clippings, straw, leaves or whatever to help prevent splash back. Later on in the season, plants can be fertilized again if needed with a liquid or more dry fertilizer.

You could look into your state ag office to see if they do soil tests. It might take a while at this time of the year to get results.
kath is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 14, 2016   #3
zeroma
Tomatovillian™
 
zeroma's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 637
Default

Thanks Kath,

Well, we did get soil tests when the garden was started, 4 years ago. and even though most people lime their plots, we have high alk. soil so if we do adjust the pH at all it is the other way. 7.2 to 7.8 were the pH rates 4 years ago. We have added a lot of organic matter over the years and have just grown in what we have. It is so hard to really get much change to lower the pH. To make it more interesting we are on a military installation so on Federal land so every bag of fertilizer needs to be saved in case some might want to use it in a bad way.

We do try to go organic as much as possible, so compost is what we do as well as the usual non organic fertilizers. If it were up to me we wouldn't use anything but organic products. But our funding sources have already purchased non organics that we have to use up.

I was just wondering if anyone here just uses a general broadcasting method before planting and if so, how far in advance of planting out or starting seed.

Zeroma
zeroma is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:34 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★