RedDirt
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2007
- Messages
- 469
- Location
- Northern Idaho
- Tractor
- Kubota BX23, Wards 16HP HST Garden Tractor, (previous) D2 Logging Cat
I am starting a new garden plot on previously uncultivated conifer forest ground. Our dirt is red clay with 6-12 inches of natural forest topsoil. Wife jokes if you add one cup of our red dirt to a yard of compost and come back in a weed you'll have...red dirt .
I'd like to till and add amendments now to get a head start for next spring planting. The small 30' x 60' plot is for household vegetables. I will be adding one to two yards of each of aged oak sawdust (stump grind residue), pine planer shavings (3-8 yrs old), power line clearing chippings (2yrs old, mostly conifer), 50/50 compost/topsoil from the nursery and aged steer manure. Goal is to add some humus to the soil.
Tillage equipment is single bottom plow, single disc and lightweight framed fence-wire harrow.
My question is: During the preparation process when do I add the amendments and at what stage do I leave the ground to over-winter? We get a few inches of snow a few times a year.
My intuition says: plow, add amendments, harrow to spread and mix amendments then disc lightly (one or two passes) and leave that way until spring.
I know the conifer amendments will take a lot of nitrogen to break down so in the spring I'll soil test and add more manure as needed.
Does the tractor sequence seem right to you knowledgeable gardeners? And is the overall plan good or should I just wait until spring to add amendments?
If good, should I cover the plot this winter with 4-6 inches of this fall's oak leaves?
Thanks for any input.
Ray
I'd like to till and add amendments now to get a head start for next spring planting. The small 30' x 60' plot is for household vegetables. I will be adding one to two yards of each of aged oak sawdust (stump grind residue), pine planer shavings (3-8 yrs old), power line clearing chippings (2yrs old, mostly conifer), 50/50 compost/topsoil from the nursery and aged steer manure. Goal is to add some humus to the soil.
Tillage equipment is single bottom plow, single disc and lightweight framed fence-wire harrow.
My question is: During the preparation process when do I add the amendments and at what stage do I leave the ground to over-winter? We get a few inches of snow a few times a year.
My intuition says: plow, add amendments, harrow to spread and mix amendments then disc lightly (one or two passes) and leave that way until spring.
I know the conifer amendments will take a lot of nitrogen to break down so in the spring I'll soil test and add more manure as needed.
Does the tractor sequence seem right to you knowledgeable gardeners? And is the overall plan good or should I just wait until spring to add amendments?
If good, should I cover the plot this winter with 4-6 inches of this fall's oak leaves?
Thanks for any input.
Ray