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Colorado

My last soil test in April said the patch was only 7% organic matter... I have heard that I should probably get it higher. I'll be doing another soil test soon, but in the meantime, what's the best way to boost the organic matter??? Should I do it now, or in the spring, or both???thanks!

10/13/2006 12:39:34 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

NOW...Sooner is always better than later.

7% isn't really low at all.

Organic matter is determined by ignition. Your sample gets dried, then weighed, then burned. Whats left is re-weighed so the difference is calculated & reported as a percentage of weight.

This can be misleading because fresh organic "material" weighs a lot more than old "stable organic *MATTER*".

If you have a soil with 7% old stable organic MATTER then you aren't low. But the addition of newer organic *material* is still desirable since it keeps the soil open & in good tilth.

I prefer old rotten composted manure but even fresh fallen Maple leaves are good. Use both if you can.

Fresh manures are best used now so they aren't causing trouble in the spring.

10/13/2006 10:19:46 AM

caro mi.

hey steve ,,,,question for you or somebody that knows .......i have been adding old rotted down manure and left over rotted siledge and never have used fresh manure or liquid manure , and i could ......should i throw some of the fresh stuff on too ? would it be advantages ....or is the composted stuff just fine ? Dan

10/15/2006 3:37:04 PM

Cologne Brescia Italy

Steve, how do you think about to put liquid manure in the patch, is good thing or not, I have a lot of it, but never use it on pumpkins patch
Any advice?
Sergio

10/15/2006 4:49:48 PM

Montoursville, PA

At least two world record holders add very fresh cow manure in the fall to the tune of four to six inches and then till it in with other additives. I might add that this is the sludge or slurry type about as close to the cows rear end as you can get it.

10/15/2006 8:19:38 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Well I just don't know, after 7 years of ammending my patch we have had an "issue" perhaps with too much organic matter and other associated problems.

I think I went overboard and now things are starting to settle down. 3 years ago we had 28.3% organic matter and had a great year with a PB...the next year we had 18.6% OM and also had a pretty good year with lots of nice large fruit but no PB....next year was 22.2% OM and another pretty good year. After a rough year, this falls soil test shows great numbers with 24.9% OM.....now what to do??

I was going to add another few yards of compost and manure to my roughly 850sq ft patch but will most likely back way off that amount and add alot less and do a healthy cover crop instead....still learning....still reading....keeping an open mind but think that I have too much OM and locking things up when they are needed most.

Thoughts??

10/16/2006 12:55:25 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Hmmmmm, since there were no additional comments or thoughts, I'm going to rephrase my question to "do any of you think that very high OM % has a greater tendancy to lock up nutrients when they are most needed during the growing season?

My main reason to ask is that my fall soil test came back and it could not have been better....did I just have a dud seed or were other elements (other than squirrels) working agains my high )M % soil??

Thanks/Glenn

10/21/2006 12:21:46 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Glenn et al,

It can be difficult to imagine having "too much" organic matter. But coming off a very wet summer it is easier to comprehend. Imagine the organic material having the water holding properties of a sponge. Kinda speaks well of hydroponic (soilless) gardening after a season such as we just had here in CT. Many highly amended soils held too much water too long. In the absence of oxygen, nutrients are scavenged by bacteria, roots become stressed & soon otherwise tolerable levels of Fusarium explode into full bore major problems.

I'm not opposed to fresh manure in the fall. Just don't go overboard on already high OM soils. 2-3 inches per fall is good medicine.

10/21/2006 2:27:26 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Thanks Steve and Doc for the replies....it helps.

10/21/2006 3:03:42 PM

Phoenix, AZ

I know too much OM will lock up Manganese. This I have both read and was shown in my foliar tests I conducted. Otherwise, I am not aware of it really "locking up" when OM is high.

10/21/2006 6:37:59 PM