Need Some Garden Advice

[JohnyMac]

This year is the first year of my BIG garden. It is ~2,000 sf and I owe the forum an article on clearing and prepping it.

What I need to know is since this is the first year of planting I have had no opportunity to prep the soil with compost and manure.

The PH is ~6.5 which is  a good start but what do I use for fertilizer during the current growing period? My corn is at about 4' high and have gotten cucumbers and tomatoes already but no new flowers on the cuc's and tomatoes. Potatoes are going CRAZY. Must have done something right there...But summer & winter squash growing slow. Also growing slow are the melons. My neighbor blames that on the chilly weather we have experienced this summer (High 40's at night and low 70's during the day.

So with all of that written, I think my garden needs some help in the fertilizer ranks. 

I have access to:

> Cow,
> Chicken, and
> Goat manure however it is hot...Not matured over the winter season.

I mentioned to my neighbor about using Mirico-Grow but his wife overheard my discussion with him and  had a conniption-fit. 

So I am looking for some experience here.

This fall I will spread manure and disk it into the soil however what do i do now?

"Looking for a bigger yield in NE PA'

[brat]

My official disclaimer............I wouldn't do anything to my dirt until I gathered a soil sample from a minimum of 10-12 different areas of the garden. Take the sample to your extension office and have it lab tested for vegetables, list what you grow. You will then get a "complete" picture of what you need to do for amendments, if any. Until you "know" what you have, how to "fix" anything is purely a guess and may do more harm than good. The soil test will guide you on your amendments and application rates.  I have mine tested in early spring and again in the fall.

You also want to know whether your soil is classified as sandy, silty or clay. That will make a difference in how you amend. For example in adjusting pH, more material is needed to change the pH level of a clay soil than for a sandy soil because clays are more resistant to pH changes than sand. Never overlook the possibility that some plants are not able to get to or use the nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, iron, manganese and so on that is already in your dirt without a pH adjustment. 

For right now, if you think it's lacking in Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (N,P,K), then in absence of a test, I'd suggest a "balanced" fertilizer. Something like 10-10-10 or no more than triple 13. Your application rate would be fairly close on these two, might reduce a hair on the 13.

I use higher P when starting the garden, balanced as a side dressing for corn and a higher K for side dressing potatoes. I feed at on set and again for corn when they reach about 10-12 inches (they feed heavy) and when they tassel. At blossom for spuds (when they're initiating their tubers). I also feed the tomatoes when they set, but light on N. Balanced for Cukes when they start to climb and set.

In the fall, get another test, because chemical fertilizers can cause some soil acidity. The test will let you know if you need add lime or sulphur, and should be indicated on your test. 

In addition to compost, I always add a substantial amount maple tree leafs and any other soft wood leafs I scrounge. I also plant a good green manure cover crop. I use hairy vetch, crimson clover and winter wheat. But YMMV.

My .0125 after taxes.

[JohnyMac]

Thanks brat all good advice.

The neighbors were just over and recommended rabbit and or goat manure in low qty's right now. They have both for the picking.

The secret like what you wrote is to prep the garden well in the fall for next years crop.

[chenmi]

Goat and rabbit manure are not "hot" like chicken manure.  It can be put directly onto plants without "burning" them with too much nitrogen.  The 90 day composting recommended is to give soil bacteria time to break down parasite eggs and kill other pathogens.  We have goats, rabbits and chickens.  I use goats and rabbit manure directly on plants where it doesn't come in contact with or can't splash up onto the parts we eat .  I wouldn't use it directly on potatoes, salad greens and root vegetables.  So far I've not had any problem with tilling thinly spread chicken manure directly into the soil on first till a few weeks before final till and planting.

[JohnyMac]

Chenmi, I in fact did use rabbit and goat manure later in the season which helped a bunch.

I am lucky to have great neighbors who grow rabbits and goats along with other three four legged critters. My plan this year is to spread some goat manure over the garden once the snow melts enough that I can do so without getting the tractor stuck.

Letting it sit and then in May just before I plant disking the garden to help disseminate it's nutrient value.     

EDIT: Mistake corrected but left in post for clarity of follow-up posts JMc

[Nemo]

neighbors who grow rabbits and goats along with other three legged critters.

THREE legged critters? 

Them must be yankee critters.

Nemo

[JohnyMac]