Field Growers Ground Prep

[Bretts]

I am hoping for some advice on last minute soil prep for the ground. Several years ago this was red clay. I have continually added organic material to it. Mainly horse poo with lots of straw and sawdust from their stall at the trotts. It has also had all left over grit and stuff thrown on it.
I figured all and any of this would have to help long term without being too worried about fresh poop and such. The soil is looking much better with only a tinge of the red left.
So I figure it is not worth the risk of any fresh manure this year, no matter how free it is
I was thinking of just digging in some straw also a hit with blood and bone.

Rained heavy last two nights and there is some clay on the surface I just washed out of a tub. Guess a little more clay can't hurt. I turned the surface for a little better look. pH has always been neutral but I will double check.

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Thanks for any advice

[kcpoole]

Nice little spot Brett

Would not add much fresh poo buy if you let it age for a couple of months you could use it a top fertiliser then

I would just turn it all and then plant it out, Mulch with whatever you have, Straw, Paper, Leaves and then add water to the plot and a beer for you

Ken

[Asus101]

Horse/cow poo is fine, its not that strong I have used it before with no hassels.

[Scott Roxburgh]

Looks good Brett, I'd leave the fertiliser off until after the trees are in...

then fertilise like mad!!!

[Makkanan]

Garden bed looks fine, though hard to tell from photo..... Had a similar bed with horrid clay and added gypsum every year as well as organic matter....don't really know how much it broke up the clay, but the bed did seem to drain a bit better with age. Not to get off topic, but regarding horse poo, I was under the impression that this can be used 'straight from the source' as there's a low ammonia coefficient and not usually mixed with urine.... chook poo needs aging to prevent burning, and was under the impression that cow poo was closer to the chook end of the 'age-before-use" spectrum... Thoughts?

[MattA]

Hey Brett,

Your prep work over the last few years sounds and looks good. I would give it a good dose of blood & bone and dig over with a fork to atleast the full depth of it, a fork because they break up the soil better than a spade (think I have done waay too much digging). Dont dig the straw in as it will draw off nitrogen as it decomposes. Plant out and as Ken said mulch with the straw or whatever else you have at hand. Once growth is underway you can then use the manure as a mulch over the top of that.

Get to it

Matt

[Glenn C]

I was under the same impression Makkanan on the horse poo, never had an issue with it....lots of stables around my place.

I'm with Ken, you've done everything spot on.
You can never go wrong adding more organic material as long as it has composted for a few seasons.
I just did something similar but also added river sand and gypsum over the last year to help break up the clay and add some drainage.

Be careful you don't just make a bowl in the clay underneath your good topsoil and drown anything if it is a flat area. They don't line dams with clay for nothing.
I planted mine out last week and it has had the benefit of a good soak thanks to some nice steady rain for the last few days but its built up and on a slight slope so I dont have any drainage issues.

What's going in there?

[Bretts]

Thanks for the help. You get varying degrees of age in the horse manure. Some nicely composted some the sawdust is fresh with pee. It never seemed to give me any trouble but figured there may be no need to push it this season.
This may look a little low but it is actually much higher than it used to be and I have given up keeping it away from the steel fence which the bottom of is now a couple of inches below the soil. I plan on building up a few rows for the first time this year. Past years have mostly been hindered by being too crowded ( I just can't throw a tree in the bin ) but those that got above the others went well.
If the horse poo is not much of an issue I might get a small load of the more composted stuff and dig that through. I also have a bag of Gypsum so it probably is a good idea to throw some of that on. I think I will still add some blood and bone as well.
I thought I might get all professional like and use weed mat over the mounds with holes for the trees. Then I might cover this with a bit of straw just to keep the Misses happy
Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[kcpoole]

For got to ask, but glenn did and that bit got ignored ,,
What are you putting in there?

Hope you phot each one as you plant them.

Ken

[Bretts]

Oh I missed that.
Mainly crap Mostly young trident I think but we will see as it comes time. I will try to take pictures of anything vaguely interesting.

[Asus101]

Bretts you could plant alf-alfa round your tree's. what you dont use you can mulch in, its good for adding nitrogen.

[Bretts]

What about Basil I love basil?
I could do that in between the rows I guess. I bought the weed mat now so I am keen on that at the moment. Less weeds sound good. I have a feeling my alf-alfa would turn to weed.
Thanks for the idea I will keep it in mind.
The kids have a vegy patch. I am thinking Tomatoes will be good with the predicted shortage.
Tomato and basil Now all I need is watermelon

[Asus101]

What about Basil I love basil?
I could do that in between the rows I guess. I bought the weed mat now so I am keen on that at the moment. Less weeds sound good. I have a feeling my alf-alfa would turn to weed.
Thanks for the idea I will keep it in mind.
The kids have a vegy patch. I am thinking Tomatoes will be good with the predicted shortage.
Tomato and basil Now all I need is watermelon

you want a legume though to help add nitrogen to the soil, not a fruiting plant that will suck the nutrients out... (watermelon for example....)

[kcpoole]

What about Basil I love basil?

Hey if your basil dies, does that mean it is Basil Faulty !

Hay Bretts do you want some variousl Maple seeds?
I have Trident, and Campestre seed I collected this year?

Ken

[craigw60]

Hi Brett, your soil prep is great I like to add lots of spent potting mix to my growing areas to assist drainage, I also think depending on the ph some dolomite is not a bad idea. Remember to bury the nebari a bit as it develops much more quickly below the soil level. I would prefer to use a hard rather than soft mulch, I like woodchip it takes ages to break down and sits nicely, its important to put a bit of B&B down underneath the chip.
Craig