On Tue, 26 May 2015 21:22:58 -0600, Janet B >
wrote:

>On Wed, 27 May 2015 11:54:13 +1000, Jeßus > wrote:
>
>>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.
>
>What a bummer! Gypsum was a life saver in my garden/yard when we
>moved here. Over the years I have put a lot of organics in my
>gardens. The soil just eats it up.

It does indeed, I have put a huge amount of organic matter into the
garden this year and it's breaking down quickly. But the soil is *so*
much better...

>Have a good garden year. I still have to plant beans and corn seeds.
>Tomorrow maybe.

Thank you and hope you do too. This spring I plan to go mad with
planting it out, especially tomatoes, capsicums and chilli's, which I
haven't grown for a couple of years now.