Have you had the soil tested? It might be nutrient-stripped if it was farmed for years, though it sounds as if the nitrogen might be okay, as provided by soybeans.

Anyway, a soil test is your very first step.

I agree. A soil test is the first step. Once you find out what's wrong you might be able to fix it easily.

If you had a ton of good compost, you could incorporate this into your soil, and I suspect the problems would be solved. Since it takes years to accumulate and spread the quantity of compost required, I think that you will have to get soil testing done, and amend per the results. I know that both Iowa and Wisconsin have been intensively farmed for 100 years or so. The fertilizers most commonly used contain Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. Lime is also put down routinely. You might be deficient in sulfur. It is being used in recent years to improve soil fertility. This is only a guess, a soil test will be needed.

As far as herbicides go, there can be some carryover for one year on certain herbicides, but I think that is about the extent of that.

A good soil test going further than the usual extent would be good....checking for boron and such.

for me i'd cut to the chase and do raised beds then whatever there is in that soil won't be having the disasterous effect, in time of course whatever it is, is going to diminish or go away, but with raised beds that won't realy matter that much.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

Growing up on a farm there are some chemicals that carryover for a year or more in the soil. I can't tell you which ones, but I do know that you don't spray XXXXX chemical and the following year plant CCCCC crop.

I am willing to bet that is what is happening in your case. I would contact the prior owners and ask what they had growing there last year, who sprayed it and give them a call or call your local extension agent. Don't worry this won't continue for ever, but this year may be a bust.

Here is a link that might be useful: Iowa State Extension Publication

It would be interesting to know what techniques the farmer had been using. In particular, was he using RoundUp Ready techniques?

If RoundUp is the problem, you'll need to hit the soil with a bunch of Phosphorus. SuperPhosphate, Triple SuperPhosphate, bone meal, or a fertilizer with an analysis that is high in the middle number; 6-12-6 for example.

Apply as much finished compost as you can. Chemicals will break down in an organic environment.

And, as has been suggested, get the soil tested. Don't just get the NPK, pH tested, get the whole magilla.

If it used to be a cornfield,I would put more manure because i have heard that corn takes alot of nutrients from soil.You said your veggies are green but corn is yellowish that is lack of nutrients intake from the soil.

If it were a cornfield before, isn't it a good bet it was blasted with round-up!

Get a soil test.

It is highly likely the field was fed by bags of fertilizer and intensely grown because that's how most people do it.

You have good advice above re soil test. That will take time though and you don't have much time to waste. I would suggest an immediate triage with a load of manure which should be available in your area. Be careful about the manure, much of it is contaminated with herbicides that can kill veggies.

When you get the soil test results back, you will at least have a head start on tackling the problem. From your description, you are short on major nutrients N-P-K and probably copper, zinc, and boron.

It does not hurt to add some boron to soil that has been farmed for years. A box of 20 mule team borax is cheap and goes a long way. One level tablespoon on a row 100 feet long is more than enough. Do NOT put more, boron is necessary but toxic at higher concentrations. Boron leaches rapidly from most soils so adding some every 2 or 3 years will increase crops significantly.

Zinc can be bought by the 50 pound bag and that is probably about the amount that you need for 1/2 acre. I would wait on the soil test before applying.

It was said "If RoundUp is the problem..."

Round up is inactivated with soil contact. It won't persist in soil.

* Posted by jean001 z8aPortland, OR (My Page) on
Wed, Jul 29, 09 at 0:54

It was said "If RoundUp is the problem..."

Round up is inactivated with soil contact. It won't persist in soil.

Well, Monsanto would love to have everyone believe that, and possibly most people do, but research suggests otherwise. Here's a quote from the Journal of Pesticide Reform:

Soil Persistence
GlyphosateÂs persistence in soil varies
widely. According to data compiled
by the USDAÂs Agricultural Research
Service, glyphosateÂs half-life
varies from 2 to 174 days.32 (The halflife
is the amount of time required for
half of the applied glyphosate to break
down or move away from the treatment
area.)

Glyphosate, such as is found in Roundup, must come in contact with the actively growing leaves of plants in order to harm them. It is not absorbed from the soil into the root system. However, there are formulations of Roundup (and many other herbicides) that contain other chemicals and it's possible that this is what was used on the field. Most herbicide damage is very distinctive with deformed and twisted new growth on plants. If absorbed from the soil, it may present in other ways.

The logical explanation for your problem is poor soil. Heavily farmed soil (unless the grower uses organic methods) is usually severely depleted of many nutrients and the farmer must replenish them each year. A good laboratory soil test is the first order of business to solve your problem.

You might also check with your local office of the cooperative extension. They are familiar with the soils and farming practices in your area and might be able to give you some insight into the problem.

Good luck. I know how frustrating it is to plant and replant and still not get a crop.

Sandy

I really appreciate all these responses to my problem. Thank you all very much. I will have the soil tested. I surmise that what some of you said is correct. We in the midwest grow mountains of corn and soybeans, but to do it requires replenishment of the soil each year, and thus it is stripped of what it needs for normal garden vegetables.

I don't have much to add, pinktermite, other to say -someday, i want to have my acreage and have the big garden of my dreams too. I'm sure with the soil test, next year things will be better. I'm not sure where you are in IA but this year has been cool and rainy where I'm at (CR) - things are not on schedule the way they usually are. Next year will be better ;) Hopefully, you have good drainage in that area...