TOPIC: Got out to the patches last weekend...

All the postings had me motivated. Worked in P1 and became acutely aware of all the work needed for P2 and P3. I spread a bunch of gypsum in P1, and need to do this in the other patches I have as well. My soil analyis's indicate that I need to give the Ca a big boost.

It felt good to get out there.

Then it rained for a couple of days this week. so this should get the stuff started on it's way into the soil.

I didn't see anyone from American Outlaws, dagnab-it... LOL

Whitjr wrote:

All the postings had me motivated. Worked in P1 and became acutely aware of all the work needed for P2 and P3. I spread a bunch of gypsum in P1, and need to do this in the other patches I have as well. My soil analyis's indicate that I need to give the Ca a big boost.

It felt good to get out there.

Then it rained for a couple of days this week. so this should get the stuff started on it's way into the soil.

I didn't see anyone from American Outlaws, dagnab-it... LOL

Ray,

If you catch any of them in your' patches, then put them to work. LOL!!

With all of the rain we had last year and now with the rain and snow so far this year, it is understandable that a lot of the Calcium has washed out of the soil. I found a lot of the Ginseng plants yellowing early last year and was wondering if they might need a dose of Magnesium Sulfate (i.e. Epsom Salt) besides Calcium. With a lot of rain one year when I lived in West Virginia, the plants in my' Garden were yellowing real bad. After the spreading of Lime did not help, I spread Epson Salt around the plants. They recovered in less than a week and it was unbelievable at the rate of growth in the plants and sizes of the vegetables they produced that year. I haven't put out a Garden since moving from West Virginia but if I do, I will be sure to spread a little Epsom Salt around all of the plants.

www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/news/articles/e...lt_for_gardening.php


Frank

Frank,
I didn't know Epsom salt was such a great soil enhancement. Thanks for the post and link.

Whit, can't wait to see your seng pics this spring.
Latt

When I plant my Tomatoes... I grow my own plants and have them nice and large (in 1 gal pots) when I plant them.

I dig a nice big hole and put in that hole...

1.. a shovel full of my home made compost
2.. about a table spoon of gypsum and bone meal
3.. about a teaspoon of blood meal and epson salt.

Mix that all up nicely and then plant my tomato plant.

They grow like crazy and stay healthy long in the season.

Magnesium (Epson Salt) is credited with keeping your plants healthy and green longer into the growing season.

I put a little Epsom Salt on my seed producing bed each year, and a nice healthy dose of gypsum too.

TNhunter

Latt wrote:

Frank,
I didn't know Epsom salt was such a great soil enhancement. Thanks for the post and link.

Whit, can't wait to see your seng pics this spring.
Latt

Latt,

That was the first and only time that I ever used Epsom Salt as we moved from there shortly thereafter but I was sold. After not having any success with the Lime, I made some inquiries and the old farmers told me that the problem was not enough Magnesium and/or Sulfate left in the soil due to the rains.

I don't like to boast about the crops in my' Garden that year as some think it is B.S. story but I have plenty of folks in Elkins, West Virginia that will attest to the following: I planted Kentucky Blue Lake Bush Beans and the bushes grew to nearly 3 feet tall, were like hedge bushes and had green beans that were up to 18 inches long. A friend who was harvesting some Mild and Hot Peppers that he planted in my' Garden, came and asked me what kind of Watermelons I had in the garden. I told him that I was not growing any Watermelons and after we went down to the garden and he pointed them out, I showed him that they were actually Zucchini's (they were 6 to 8 inches in diameter and 18 to 20 inches long) and he nearly passed out from disbelief. I had Staddon's Select Green Pepper plants that were nearly 4 feet tall and each one produced a half bushell or more of Green Peppers every week or less. My Yellow Squash was nearly the same size in diameter and length as the Zucchini's and I had Broccoli Heads that grew the diameter of a bushell basket. My Tomatoes and Cabbage seemed to do better with the dose of Epsom Salt but it was nothing to write home about.

The bad thing about the boost the plants get from Epsom Salt is that the vegetables when nearing maturity, grow so fast and so big that you have to check them every single day and harvest them before they get too big. We were unable to do so and lost 20 to 30 bushells of vegetables due to them growing to big and hard which made them unedible.

It is advisable to do a lot of research to see what plants benefit the most from Epsom Salt and which ones do not. In this way, you don't waste any Epsom Salt or any time and effort on those that don't really need it.


Frank

Thanks fellas for the info. I am a believer now. I am Going to make Epsom salt a must have for my seng beds and Veg garden for sure.
Latt

Latt wrote:

Thanks fellas for the info. I am a believer now. I am Going to make Epsom salt a must have for my seng beds and Veg garden for sure.
Latt

Latt,

I forget to mention that I also dosed each vegetable plant with a quart of mixed Miracle Grow and water once a week. However, I only used the Lime and Epsom Salt the one time and never had to apply either again that year.


Frank