Soil, Fertilizer, and Pesticide
| Soil must be alive in order for plants to have a full and healthy life. Newspaper is an ideal way to block grass and undergrowth; it does not destroy life in the soil, and biodegrades over time |
Hens in a tractor can heat a hoop house/greenhouse in winter |
| Clay Soil Amendment: | |
| Compost/Expanded Shale@ 2:1 ratio;Spread 1 cubic foot of mix per 3 square feet of garden (4″ layer), plus: Sul-Po-Mag @ 2 lb. per 100 square feet (needs to be applied 3 x a year) – unlocks nutrients Dried Molasses @ 5 lb. per 100 square feet (needs to be applied 3 x a year) – sweetens soil and attracts pro-microbes Coconut Coir can substitute for peat moss |
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| Transplants: | |
| All: Soft Rock Phosphate (root stimulator) and Worm Castings – handful of each into hole Tomatoes: Above PLUS crushed egg shells and Rabbit Hill Tomato & Pepper food; use both Kelp and Seaweed in wet-to-wet planting |
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| Fertilizers / Amendments: | |
| Live Compost Tea Texas Green Sand – for spinach and iron-loving plants Lava Sand – it’s like coffee for plants; gives them a jump-start Liquid Kelp – 1 Tb/Gallon. Encourages/Increases blooms, and helps blooms set; apply once plant is blooming or fruiting. Growth stimulant; Attracts earthworms. Only way to add calcium to tomatoes after they’re planted Tomato & Pepper food (Rabbit Hill) – in hole when planting, then top dressing once it starts blooming Both Alfalfa and rabbit pellets are preferred fertilizers for cool weather plants |
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| Pest Control | |
| Neem Oil – Disease and bugs. Don’t use in hot weather! Garret Juice – bad bugs Captain Jack’s Deadbug – cabbage worms Dusting Sulphur – chiggers Table Sugar – bad nematodes (sprinkle at base of affected plants) |
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| Definition of Sun/Shade Terms: | |
| Full Sun: 6 hours or more Good Sun But No Afternoon: 6 hours or more, but in shade by 2:00 p.m. Good Early Morning Sun: 3-5 hours of morning sun, but in shade by 11:00 AM A Little Early Morning Sun: 1-3 hours of morning sun, but in shade by 10:00 AM Bright Shade: No direct sun but bright light Dappled Shade: Shady most of the time but has sunlight that falls in spots here and there throughout the day |
source: Lucy Harrell www.organicgardeningtx.com |