On Tue, 26 May 2015 20:43:42 +0100, Janet > wrote:

>In article >,
says...
>> I guess a lot people need to visit farm equipment stores. They'd
>> be amazed to see manure spreaders being sold. What do they think
>> was the main fertilizer being used before all these chemical ones
>> were introduced?
>>
>> My former next door had a lovely raised bed vegetable garden last
>> year; that little plot was quite a producer! Her fertilizer of
>> choice was chicken poop.
>>
>
> My grandfather's hugely productive veg garden was fertilised entirely
>by human waste from the bucket lav used by all the family. He dug a
>hole, tipped the bucket, shovelled soil on top.

'night soil'

> My veg garden is fertilised entirely by home made compost (includes
>sheep and horse manure) and seaweed.

Sounds good.

My soil here is very good nutrient-wise and it is basically old river
bed soil, but high in clay.

After some years of half-heartedly trying to fix the problem (gypsum
did nothing), I've gotten serious this year. So far I've added six
inches each of sheep, cow and poultry manures, same again with old
sawdust and large bales of partly rotted sheep's fleece. Also added a
few loads of seaweed I collected (I dumped it in the creek for a few
weeks to wash the salt out first). Also three large bales of straw.
And lots and lots of lime with each layer... all turned over with a
cultivator.

It's really starting to look good now and is already crawling with
worms. Because of this I only have a small patch of broad beans and
garlic in the main bed ATM, but this coming spring I will plant the
whole area out.