Guide to Companion Planting

Check out this blog for details:
http://www.gardentowerproject.com/news/gardening-ideas-recommendations/why-how-to-companion-plant

Awesome Work Night!

We had a great work night. THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE for all of your hard work. It is time for summer to come now so we can get planting!

Soil pH and How to Fix It

A pH test measures soil acidity or alkalinity. A pH 7.0 is considered neutral. An acid soil has a pH value below 7.0. Above pH 7.0 the soil is alkaline.  Most of us want our soil in between 6.1-7.0  on the acidity and a 2 or 3 on the other tests. Hopefully that makes sense.

 pH 3.0 - 5.0

• Very acid soil
• Most plant nutrients, particularly calcium, potassium, magnesium and copper, become more soluble under very acid conditions and are easily washed away
• Most phosphates are locked up and unavailable to plants below pH 5.1, although some acid tolerant plants can utilise aluminium phosphate
• Acid sandy soils are often deficient in trace elements
• Bacteria cannot rot organic matter below pH 4.7 resulting in fewer nutrients being available to plants
• Action: Add lime to raise the pH to above 5.0. The addition of lime can help break up acidclay soils

 pH 5.1 - 6.0

• Acid soil
• Ideal for ericaceous (lime-hating) plants such as rhododendrons, camellias and heathers
• Action: Add lime if other plants are grown

pH 6.1 - 7.0

• Moderately acid soil
• A pH 6.5 is the best general purpose pH for gardens, allowing a wide range of plants to grow, except lime-hating plants
• The availability of major nutrients is at its highest and bacterial and earthworm activity is optimum at this pH
• Action: It is not usually necessary to add anything to improve soil pH at this level

pH 7.1 - 8.0

• Alkaline soil
• Phosphorus availability decreases
• Iron and manganese become less available leading to lime-induced chlorosis
• But an advantage of this pH level is that clubroot disease of cabbage family crops (brassicas) is reduced
• Action: Sulphur, iron sulphate and other acidifying agents can sometimes be added to reduce pH. Clay soils often require very large amounts of acidifying material and soils with free chalk or lime are not usually treatable

The Secret Soil Ingredient You NEVER Thought Of ...

DIAPERS.

Whether they are used or unused will be your little secret. [Mason is willing to make a deal with anyone interested in baby Malin's for a small fee.]