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soil fix my soil

Get a soil test done to see what nutrients are missing, and correct the imbalances using natural sources. If the soil contains toxic levels of minerals and chemicals, take a look at mushrooms for cleanup. You might need to introduce beneficial bacteria as well, although any good compost or manure as mentioned already will add this back. Of course earthworms really help. Soil is an ecosystem in itself, and everything should be done to restore it back to this state.
 
Devil Created Pods said:
Wood chips. Would chips would fix your soil for sure but it takes a while if you're willing to wait. I'm with mx on this one
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With a hungry soil and using a hot N like blood meal or uncomposted chicken manure it doesnt take that long.
 
able eye said:
 
Are you confused by the word hungry or soil?
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     lol It's not so much the definitions as the context. Let's try this again. How does soil become hungry? Is it the microbes in the soil that hunger? It doesn't sound like his soil has a lot if life in it to begin with.
 
Hybrid Mode 01 said:
 
 
     lol It's not so much the definitions as the context. Let's try this again. How does soil become hungry? Is it the microbes in the soil that hunger? It doesn't sound like his soil has a lot if life in it to begin with.
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Do you run this question by the millions who say "feed your soil"? This I guess is an interesting question from someone with so much compost.
 
It becomes hungry by rape or neglect. You can tell by how fast the wood chips melt into it.
Here come the melt questions no doubt.
 
able eye said:
 
Do you run this question by the millions who say "feed your soil"? This I guess is an interesting question from someone with so much compost.
 
It becomes hungry by rape or neglect. You can tell by how fast the wood chips melt into it.

 
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     It just stands to reason that a healthy (not hungry or starved or whatever) soil with lots of microbial life would already have a standing microbial population ready to start colonizing and assimilating a mulch layer. It seems to me that a soil devoid of life would need more time to begin decomposing organic matter simply because there is less biomass available to start "eating".
 
 
able eye said:
 
 

Here come the melt questions no doubt.
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     You're paranoid.  ;)
 
Hybrid Mode 01 said:
 
     It just stands to reason that a healthy (not hungry or starved or whatever) soil with lots of microbial life would already have a standing microbial population ready to start colonizing and assimilating a mulch layer. It seems to me that a soil devoid of life would need more time to begin decomposing organic matter simply because there is less biomass available to start "eating".
 
 
 
     You're paranoid.  ;)
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heh
 
My theory is that a healthy soil has a rotation going with really no room for extra material. Once you cover it and that moisture layer develops all kinds of stuff springs to life. I know cuz I had to pressure cook a lot of rye. The wood also brings with it its own composters. A hungry soil has lots of holes to fill. But they need N like I said earlier and like your hot composting self knows.
 
able eye said:
 
heh
 
My theory is that a healthy soil has a rotation going with really no room for extra material. Once you cover it and that moisture layer develops all kinds of stuff springs to life. I know cuz I had to pressure cook a lot of rye. The wood also brings with it its own composters. A hungry soil has lots of holes to fill. But they need N like I said earlier and like your hot composting self knows.
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     My experience has invariably been that the healthier a soil is, the hungrier it appears to be. I imagine a felled tree would remain  intact much longer if it were to fall on Pex's grandpa's farm than if it were to lay on old-growth duff. Here, the forest soil would act much hungrier. 
     I suppose the chemical composition of the material being decomposed comes into play here. (Also the microbial populations present.) If a soil has a healthy microbial population but is short (hungry for) a particular nutrient, maybe it will decompose organic matter faster as a means of filling that gap.
     I guess what you're saying makes sense. With "hunger" defined as nutrient imbalance.  
 
Not all wood chips are created equal. THP's windchicken can talk at length about it. Or Google "ramial wood chips Quebec".
 
There's always that one dude on gardenweb who lives in a desert asking "where is all my compost going?".
filmost said:
I agree with MX about the wood mulch. And although it will likely drive you bat-shit crazy be the end of the video, check this out.
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That video is what I copied in my garden. I sub blood meal for the chicken manure cuz no chickens.
 
PexPeppers said:
how do you fix soil? My grandfather has raped the land with corn for 30 years. it seems more clay than anything. so far i have added compost and nutrients, I am thinking some perlite and vermiculite too?
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don't forget the horse poo ! 
 
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neoguy said:
Check out Craig list for free rabbit manure or Alpace manure, you might be surprised
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hey i found a alpaca !   :rofl:
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