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Nitrogen Hogs?

Eephus Man

Eephus Man

I have what I believe to be a nitrogen overload problem in my back raised bed due to some "bad" soil where the manure hasn't fully aged. I don't *know* that's the problem, but I have a strong suspicion.

I'd love any advice from you gardening gurus on what I can plant there that will thrive (or at least grow well enough to suck up N) and start removing some of that N.

My plan right now is some summer squash and some corn. Anything else I can plant in the summer that might help?

TIA!
 
Corn, Dill,Lettuce,Summer Squash,Winter Squash and probably flowers..I just discovered that mulch can also rob N as well ! Read about it and not having that issue ! You can maybe start the squash and transplant if need be. I will be using slings on my 2nd attempt this season ! ... Keep us posted !! Dan
 
Pine needles require 300% more N to be broken down, than they return to the soil. Its why nothing grows beneath pine trees well...

I have them everywhere here in my front yard... If you were closer, you'd be welcome to as much as you feel like hauling off haha.
 
I might be an import to the tar heel state, at least 6 months out of the year... (Grad school).

The needles work relatively quickly as well... seems to kill everything except established pepper plants, and grass... Grass (especially crab grass, which I was hoping to kill) seems to do alright underneath pine needles.

It stressed the peppers... In about three weeks, they were turning yellow... so I pulled up the pine needles, weeded, and resumed my regular fert schedule. They still are yellow, after the first fert, but looking better. I'll post a picture tomorrow... I promised windychicken I'd post a picture of my embarrassing weedy garden any way, and only half has been de-crab grassed so far.
 
jsschrstrcks said:
Pine needles require 300% more N to be broken down, than they return to the soil. Its why nothing grows beneath pine trees well...

I have them everywhere here in my front yard... If you were closer, you'd be welcome to as much as you feel like hauling off haha.
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My poison ivy and virginia creeper growth absurd under my pines
 
Nitrogen overload? Luckily N is ephemeral and the problem won't last long. Vining and green crops are best - nothing that gets fruit. Broccoli, cabbage, spinach, corn; melons and squash are ok because they vine like crazy and then fruit later. Definitely leave out peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and all root veggies.
 
Little Minnie said:
Nitrogen overload? Luckily N is ephemeral and the problem won't last long. Vining and green crops are best - nothing that gets fruit. Broccoli, cabbage, spinach, corn; melons and squash are ok because they vine like crazy and then fruit later. Definitely leave out peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and all root veggies.
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Thanks LM! I am kind of discovering this on my own. So far, the corn looks pretty good, and luckily it appears that maybe 1-2 pepper plants might make it past deformity, too. We'll see.

And the cucumbers in there are going nutso. No fruit, but if they're eating N, then I'm happy. I may plant some melons, too. Hadn't thought of that.

Unfortunately, any kind of cole crop won't last a week in this heat, nor will spinach. But assuming I still have issues by the fall, I'll add them in as well. Would love to have some nice broccoli and head lettuce in the back yard.
 
I am into okra, PW. So far, the only thing not showing ill effects from whatever it is I have going on is the corn. It is really taking off. Okra has a little leaf curl, even. But everything else is still growing, if a little crooked.
 
When did you plant the okra? I have found if you plant it too early it will be stunted and never recover. The varieties I have grown really like the heat and would be starting to take off right about now. I don't have any planted this year because all my good okra growing spots are depleted from the last 2 years, gotta let that soil rest!

The corn is also a very heavy feeder. I never bother growing it though because I can get it at the grocery for 3 for $1. Okra, on the other hand, is freakin expensive.
 
PepperWhisperer said:
When did you plant the okra? I have found if you plant it too early it will be stunted and never recover. The varieties I have grown really like the heat and would be starting to take off right about now. I don't have any planted this year because all my good okra growing spots are depleted from the last 2 years, gotta let that soil rest!

The corn is also a very heavy feeder. I never bother growing it though because I can get it at the grocery for 3 for $1. Okra, on the other hand, is freakin expensive.
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My experience is the same as yours. Okra planted before late May never works for me. This was planted earlier this month. It's the nitrogen problem, for sure.

I snagged some multicolored popcorn and blue sweet corn so as to have something a little different than what I can get in the stores, or even at the farmer's market.

Where in Texas are you?
 
I'm in Houston. I have done fine planting okra early May, especially the last 2 years when it started getting hot early. It puts up it's head about 10 inches, pops out 3-4 true leaves and stays that way for a few weeks. I have to assume it is growing a huge root during that time because once it is done resting it shoots up like a rocket. My 2010 plants got to 8' and I had to top them because I couldn't reach the okra pods at the tip anymore.
 
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