How does soggy soil affect garden production?
dinner_s
4 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (25)
dinner_s
4 years agoRelated Discussions
how does different soil mix initially affect the plant?
Comments (5)Plants usually need an adjustment period after repots if root work was extensive. When potting up, usually there is little noticeable difference, just a temporary increase in vitality. Repot/root-pruning will cause the tree to sulk for awhile & the time period varies. (BTW, Acers tolerate total bare-rooting very well, so don't be reluctant to remove all the old soil from the root mass). Also, timing of the repot impacts recovery. Visible signs are temporary slowed or nonexistent growth, temporary loss of vitality, possible loss of some buds. I would tend to consider leaf burn a result of a root system that is yet unable to keep up with water demand put on the tree by other cultural conditions (wind, sun, high temps), or fertilizer salt issues. Also, cellular pH has the ultimate affect on color, but soil pH affects cellular pH to a certain degree. Couldn't guess at soil pH unless we know soil make-up. Do you know? I can tell you how to test container media pH if you wish to know & don't, but it will vary widely over time. If I remember, we had some off forum discussions about soils for your Acers? Are you the one that linked me to another forum site discussion about Acer nutrient preferences? If so, I was impressed by the knowledge of the posters. I have always found that the fast soils I grow in require more N than I would at first think. However, I also know that generous applications of N in containerized Acers can bring about some unwanted problems. If you still have access to the folks you were talking to previously, I would seek nutritional advice from them. That works for me doesn't mean it will work for you. Are you the one who spoke of adding some extremely large pine bark to the mix? Is it possible the soil is simply becoming to dry between irrigating? What else is in the soil aside from the bark? Pam comes here often - also grows lots of Acers in containers. Perhaps she will read & offer her advice, which is always sterling. I'm at work now, but I'll link her to this tonight. Al...See MoreFirst Garden too wet: how quick does your soil dry out?
Comments (14)So just to give you an idea of how ever-so-slightly obsessive I/we are being with this, we have not only been tarping the area when it rains, but we post-hole dug a couple of 'wells' and have been using the old pumps from our hydroponics setup to pump out some of the water. From Garden Pictures Note the water table, right after all the rain, only about an inch down! On the plus side, digging down 3ft or so gave me a good idea of my soil strata - after about a foot and a half I hit some clay that looked like I could sit down and throw a terra-cotta pot on the spot. But up until that point, it was (decreasingly) nice and dark brown and more crumbly. So I think my dirt is pretty good :) Hopefully adding my compost and raising te rows as much as possible will improve the drainage. We're also eventually planning on putting a dry streambed through the backyard. But as for the good news - after only 24 hours or so without water falling from the sky, the water table receded to about 5-6 inches down. Progress! Thanks for the advice, everybody - still don't know when I'll be able to start working out there, but hopefully it will be soon, as I have some little ones anxiously waiting! From Garden Pictures ~Emily...See Morepine bark mulch affecting soil analysis
Comments (4)Sammy, If you had mixed the mulch into the soil, maybe it would be responsible for the lower N, but that's about it. It would not be the explanation for your high P and high K. Testing for nitrogen in soils is very tricky and, for that reason, some testing labs no longer even test for available nitrogen. The levels of available nitrogen can fluctuate a lot, being greatly influenced by both rainfall and soil temperatures. You could have a soil test in January show low nitrogen and could test the same soil in June and have much higher levels even though you added nothing new to the soil. While it always is good to have a soil test done so you can get a general overall idea of what is going on with your soil, a nitrogen test in January or February is largely irrelevant for warm-season plants that won't be planted for weeks or months yet. The best time to get an accurate reading of available nitrate levels is when the plants are actually growing in the soil because that is the only time the test will tell you how much nitrogen is available right then. There is a difference between how much nitrogen is in the soil too, and how much of it is in an available form the plant roots can access. Or, if you have applied nitrogen to your soil and you want to ensure you have enough nitrogen in that soil, then you apply the nitrogen, water it in and wait a week or two and then send in a soil sample. A soil sample at that time tells you how much nitrogen is available to the plants right then when they need it. While some commercial growers will test their soil after nitrogen applications, it is not practical for home gardeners to do so, especially for those raising plants in pots. You cannot dig up the soil around your plant to send it in and get it tested. Pine bark fines are a major ingredient in many soil-less planting mixes and the controlled-release-fertilizers used in many of those bagged, commercial mixes are formulated to compensate for whatever the pine bark fines will tie up. I haven't found any soil-less mix that works better than Al's 5-1-1 mix and it has a high percentage of pine bark fines. However, most people who use it are either adding in a controlled-release-fertilizer or they are fertilizing weekly (or more often) with a water-soluable fertilizer depending on their specific plants' needs. You cannot use the 5-1-1 mix for much of anything unless you are fertilizing in some shape, form or fashion because the ingredients themselves are not high in available nutrients. I know this whole soil thing must be very frustrating for you, but when you grow in containers, it comes with the territory. Since the roots are "trapped" in the container and must grow only in whatever the container provides them, proper fertilization is key to success and it can be very easy to over- or under-fertilize. That's one reason the Miracle Grow (and other similar brand) fertilizers with a controlled release fertilizer are so widely used--because they take the guesswork out of growing in containers. Once the growing medium in a container is out of balance in terms of nutrients, it can be hard to fix. Once you start trying to fix things, every ingredient you add has the potential to solve your problems but also to create new ones simply because the growing medium is confined to such a relatively small area. Dawn...See MoreDoes soil affect tomatoe taste?
Comments (5)My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. He was asking what was wrong with a greenhouse tomato, they look so good! lol It's only my opinion, but greenhouse tomatoes I've eaten are in the supermarket in the winter and have no taste, regardless of how good they might look. My husband wanted to know why and I had to think about that. Part of my answer, was the soil. I assume that in a greenhouse, you might be growing in containers and in potting soil mixes, rather than in actual garden soil and I thought that makes all the difference in the world. You don't have everything in potting soil that you have in the ground, and growers always try to make up for that with synthetic fertilizers, which is why they look so good, but something is still missing that accounts for the lack of taste, I would think. And I for one am happy that scientists have not been able to figure it out and we all still need to garden in the backyard to get a tasty tomato. [g] All my own theory of course. Thanks for that link, Oldngrowing, interesting subject....See Moredaninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agodinner_s thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)dinner_s
4 years agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years agodinner_s
4 years agodaninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agodinner_s thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)dinner_s
4 years agodaninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agodinner_s thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)dinner_s
4 years agodaninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agodinner_s thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)dinner_s
4 years ago- dinner_s thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
dinner_s
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agodinner_s
4 years agoBrad Edwards
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agodinner_s
4 years agodinner_s
4 years agoJo Shaw
4 years agowayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESGet the Dirt on Your Garden’s Soil
Understand how your soil supports your plants so you can ensure your garden’s success
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES10 Solutions for Soggy Soil
If a too-wet garden is raining on your parade, try these water-loving plants and other ideas for handling all of that H2O
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES10 Ways to Make Your Garden More Productive
Maximize your garden’s growth and output by building healthy soil, expanding growing space and collecting rainwater
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNFlood-Tolerant Native Trees for Soggy Soil
Swampy sites, floodplains, even standing water ... if you've got a soggy landscape, these trees are for you
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGardening Solutions for Dry, Sandy Soils
Has your desert or beachy site withered your gardening creativity? Try these ideas for a beautiful, easy-care landscape
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESWhat to Do This Fall to Build Healthy Garden Soil
Take advantage of the cool season to improve soil texture and replenish nutrients
Full StoryFARM YOUR YARDHow to Get Good Soil for Your Edible Garden
The nutrients in your soil feed the plants that feed you. Here are tips on getting it right — just in time for planting season
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGardening Solutions for Heavy Clay Soils
What’s a gardener to do with soil that’s easily compacted and has poor drainage? Find out here
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENSContainer Gardening Basics: The Dirt on Soil
Learn the types of potting soil available and the best mixes to help your containers thrive
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESHave Acidic Soil in Your Yard? Learn to Love Gardening Anyway
Look to acid-loving plants, like conifers and rhododendrons, to help your low-pH garden thrive
Full Story
lgteacher