Backyard soil rejuvenation project

Both pictures I would say between 6.0 and 6.5 there abouts. They make a reader for those. I ordered one, but it’s still in the box (like a lot of garden stuff :slight_smile:). I would be happy to dig it up and send it to you. :+1::seedling:

Luster Leaf 1605 Rapitest Digital Soil Testing Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FGPLZZS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_CofIBb50K2ZAN

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it’s all good ma’am. :v:

call it 6.5… perfect enough.

:evergreen_tree:

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Okay here’s the NPK results
Nitrogen- Depleted


Phosphorous - sufficient

Potassium - sufficient

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I would have got one like that had they sold it! If you really don’t need it, that would be great! Happy to pay the S&H!

Now the big question… How to get loads of Nitrogen into the plot?

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Which explains why soil is lacking N nothing been in there for awhile I don’t think N holds in the soil for very long easily washed away hope I’m right in that assumption if your not planting anything right away try covercrops even at that they come up extremely fast IMHO and will start working as soon as sprouted

Get some N fixers legumes and clovers mix

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For the flower beds I’m planting in fall, would chicken shit help the problem pretty immediately? Should I throw some in with the new top soil?

I threw the bags I bought into the compost already, but that stuff is cheap.

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That would work fine! Just make sure it’s well composted it’s really hot when fresh and would burn plants

It would have a month in the flower bed with the new soil before I plant bulbs. Is that sufficient?
Also, that shit in the bags says it’s composted already??

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Ya bagged shit should be good to go!

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Go to the drug store get the cold packs that you squeeze. Carefully cut open not breaking the water blatter inside. The little pellets inside are ammonium nitrate. Look it up

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That’s the best way to get nitrogen… Quickly.

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Yes. :slight_smile: :chicken: :poop: :thumbsup:

:evergreen_tree:

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that’s for other projects, imo. :boom:

the garden center should have what gardeners use… and sometimes those packs are calcium-nitrate. :wink:

:evergreen_tree:

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Absolutely right and in that case it will help your plants absorb nutrients
Calcium Nitrate 15.5-0-0 (Ammonium Calcium Nitrate) is an important fertilizer that plays a big role in the maintenance of healthy cell walls in plants, because of its higher solubility in the soil, it helps the plants in absorbing other important nutrients in the soil.

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Plant a clover cover crop like said above. It will not only add nitrogen, but also break up soil, and retain moisture.

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Also reason most old timers add eggshells into their compost bin…

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So you want to put Nitrogen in.

Let’s amend the dirt with mat’l that is properly high in N, allowing it to decompose & get snuggly. I.e…

manure, blood, bone, feather, hair(way high!), etc…(i have an old Rodale composting book from the 50s here somewhere)

AND plant N-fixing cover-crop to be tilled in 6 weeks before last frost, then straw mulched, with a finaly top layer of black plastic poly sheeting.

Wait 6-8 wks.

What’s left of excess straw can be reused & so can the plastic.

hmmm. really wished i had that % info handy…i’ll try to find it.

:evergreen_tree:

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So we don’t get frost (it’s rare). Almanac doesn’t give a date for my zone. When should I plant that cover crop? As soon as possible? It’s still 80 degrees or when it gets to like 70?

Okay so I found cover crops at Johnny’s… which one is best? So many clover choices?
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/farm-seed/legumes/