On Tue, 26 May 2015 18:51:13 -0600, Janet B >
wrote:

>On Wed, 27 May 2015 07:52:52 +1000, Jeßus > wrote:
>
>>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.
>
>The bales of straw will give you a headache. I did straw one year and
>had field weeds for years and years after.

Ah-ha yes... you do need to be careful.
The bales of barley straw I use are weed free, this is the third year
I've bought them from the same place and so far no problems <fingers
crossed>.

>You may not have used
>enough gypsum. Did you turn it in? It should be effective for about
>5+ years.

As I found out far too late after digging in probably *30* bags...
Gypsum only works on some (but not all) types of clay. There is a
simple test to find out if your clay is suitable for gypsum, which
escapes me right now but found easily on a search.