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Stickman's 2018 Soil Mineralization Glog

Hi all! Now that the new year is here, it's time to swing into gear and get ready for the next season of growing chiles! I'll be starting my seeds in a few weeks, and after rotating the crops in my raised beds to get rid of the Pepper Maggots that showed up in 2016, I'll be able to plant a lot more this year. In the meantime, I thought I'd share what I do to prepare my garden soil for the start of the season. I've grown chiles in pots and in-ground, and for me at least, I seem to do better with the plants grown in the soil.
 
To start with, my garden soil is sandy, so I have to add lots of compost in the top six inches of soil to hold moisture and prevent nutrients from leaching away. Soil microbes break it down in just a few years though, so keeping it topped up is a yearly necessity. We compost our kitchen waste to that end, but there's never enough, so we also buy it from a local outfit that produces it commercially. I was put onto adding biochar as well by brother Scott (Devv.)  The biochar does the same things that humus does but it lasts longer and  helps the environment by sequestering carbon in the soil. I've also been reading about how amending with Montmorillonite clay can increase fertility and help with soil structure, but more on that in a future post.
 
At the end of each growing season I take soil samples from my various gardens and get them tested at Logan Labs in Ohio. They do a more thorough job than our UMass extension by testing for Cobalt, Molybdenum and Silicate levels as well as he usual suspects. :)    I'm taking a "Build and Maintain" approach toward soil nutrients because I want my plants to have the best organic nutrition available to them, and at the small scale I'm planting, it's affordable for me. http://nevegetable.org/cultural-practices/plant-nutrients  
 
Here's my last soil test, taken the end of November. It's the starting point for figuring what amendments I'll need when I prep my beds for planting in the spring. The pepper garden is bordered in yellow.
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In my next post I'll cover the math I use to figure that out. Cheers!
 
Devv said:
I still use the T8's and T5 mainly because they help keep the temps just right in the room. I'm lucky that our electric bill stays reasonable. ;) I gauge my costs against a coworker as his are quite similar. Last month mine were actually less and I was using the arc welder too!
 
Congrats on the hookage....here we go!
Genetikx said:
Nice grow box Rick, that's inspiring. Congrats on the hook too it's all going to snow ball now!
Thanks guys! I took a really good look at the seeds on the heat mat and most of them are starting to put out radicles, so I moved them all to the Aerogarden after work. Hopefully we'll see 'em hook up by the end of the week.
The woman who ordered the Cobalt Sulfate for both of us let me know it came in, so I'll pick it up on Thursday. That's the last amendment I was waiting for. :)

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ThatBlondGuy101 said:
Good to see the first hook come through!
 
Funny, same time you're getting your first Yellow CARDI hook, I'm pulling my first Yellow CARDI pod! I never get tired of the whole opposite-hemisphere-seasons thing!
 
:party:
 
Cheers Nev! I think you'll like the CARDI yellow pods... so tasty and with a good lick of heat! Great in fruity hot sauce!
 
Since the chile seeds have started breaking dormancy, I moved them all from the damp paper towels on the heat mat to the Aerogarden after work last night.
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day is Mardi Gras... Lassez le Bon Ton Rouler!   :dance:    In honor of the day I've got some "Second Line" jazz playing
Tohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuiAqBOoG5o&list=PLmwVSyhbowSc4hdZdBVH-XpRu1AUz4rWX
 
as I make a batch of slow cooker Red Beans and Rice with some of my dried Pequin chiles instead of Louisiana hot sauce (which I'm currently our of.) Eight aughtta be enough after I've recovered the seeds. :drooling:
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/crescent-city-red-beans-rice-crock-pot-373619
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Cheers all!
 
 
beerbreath81 said:
Nice work on the growbox, good luck on the growdown always like following those, one day I may throw my hat in the ring too
 
:cheers:
 
Cheers 'Tonio... our growing conditions are pretty similar. I bet you could do at least as well as I can, and maybe better. :)
 
 
Walchit said:
U have taps on some maples? We have solver maples here, I've been meaning to tap one or two
I don't think you'll get sweet sap from Silver Maples guy... Other than Sugar Maples the only other tree I've heard of people tapping to make syrup is White Birch. Have you ever tried a soda called Birch Beer?
I don't do any tapping myself, but I have a few friends that I trade with... hot sauce for Maple syrup. [emoji3]

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Devv said:
It's the most exciting part of the grow IMHO to see the hooks.
 
Next to that, me not killing them..LOL
 

Heh... true, that. There are just so many ways we can love our plants to death, and Ma Nature is always ready to "help"...
 
On a side note... the first three seedlings up were all presoaked in the water/fulvic acid mix. Still waiting for the ones soaked in reconstituted coconut water. It'll be interesting to see if there's any difference in both germination time and growth depending on which solution the seeds were soaked in first.
 
Have a great weekend all!
 
stickman said:
I don't think you'll get sweet sap from Silver Maples guy... Other than Sugar Maples the only other tree I've heard of people tapping to make syrup is White Birch. Have you ever tried a soda called Birch Beer?
I don't do any tapping myself, but I have a few friends that I trade with... hot sauce for Maple syrup. [emoji3]

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When I looked it up on the internet people were tapping them, I think they said it's not as sweet. But they were saying it was good. Definitely better than the high fructose corn syrup my wife and kids like lol.
 
Walchit said:
When I looked it up on the internet people were tapping them, I think they said it's not as sweet. But they were saying it was good. Definitely better than the high fructose corn syrup my wife and kids like lol.
 
Huh... I didn't know that, but since we have so many Sugar Maples here it's no wonder nobody here taps anything else.
 
Walchit said:
And no, I have never heard of Birch beer, if I see it sometime I will try it though
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_sap
 
The most common variety around here.
  http://www.polarbev.com/PRODUCTS/SodaFlavors/Regular/BirchBeer/tabid/66/Default.aspx
 
 
 
Hi all, a week in to my seed germination I have 2 MoA Bonnets, one of Guru's Yellow Brainstrains, one PDN x Bonda purple and one of the same in white. Still waiting for another Yellow Brain, 2 red Bhuts, 2 CARDI Yellow Scorpions and a Red Rocoto. Round two will be the Annuums in a couple of weeks.
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Inner perimeter security is on the job!
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Have a happy "Hump Day" all. :P
 
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