2012 Veggie garden

[xapabwa]

I had my vegetable garden soil tested last June when I took 3 other samples for a class I was taking. The tests were done by UMass. Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium were all very high. P was 33 ppm; K 216 ppm; Ca 2334; Mg 296. CEC was 14.9 and OM content 4.4 Percent of base saturation for K, Mg and Ca were: K 3.8; Mg 16.6 and Ca 79.8 Micronutrients were all listed as normal levels. The N03 was low at only 13 ppm.

So, it seems spring has arrived. This is a raised bed and soil was top soil I had brought in as I didn't feel vegetables would do so good in my sand. Along with the top soil, I've mixed in compost (mine from mostly leaves and grass clippings and some vegetable/fruit scraps) and Leafgro to raise OM content and help it retain more water. The garden is fairly small - 16' x 8' and I plan on growing lettuce and snap peas early and then primarily tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and perhaps 1 squash along with green beans (pole and bush).

I have 10-10-10, but with the P & K so high, I was thinking of incorporating some left over lawn fertilizer that's 29-0-5. Any of the veggie gurus have any thoughts or concerns to share with me about doing this?

Thanks for any suggestions!

flo

[MorpheusPA]

Too much P in your veggie garden can lead to some rather bitter flavors, which some people actually like (the more bitter my Brussels sprouts, the more I like them). 33 PPM would correspond to over 300 on the Logan test, sufficient for vegetable gardens but not excessive. Anything up to 500 on the Logan test would be fine (and for flower gardens, 500 would be my base target).

Potassium is just about optimal, although raising it wouldn't be an issue. Tomatoes are sticklers for potassium availability, and show nasty symptoms if they don't have enough. You have enough and won't see any potassium deficiency symptoms.

Lower nitrogen levels with organic feedings are to be expected--any synthetics tend to bind into bacterial mass to chew up the carbon in there. 13 PPM is actually a pretty good answer, my lawn came back at 2 PPM and you sure couldn't say it was low by its growth rate or green color!

All in all, I'd say your garden looks good to go and you can either use light amounts of 10-10-10 if you want, or mix it into the lawn, or a combination of both. You don't require P or K in the garden at this time, although a little more of each won't hurt if you decide you want to.

[GaryCinChicago]

I plan on growing lettuce and snap peas early and then primarily tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and perhaps 1 squash along with green beans (pole and bush).

I have 10-10-10, but with the P & K so high, I was thinking of incorporating some left over lawn fertilizer that's 29-0-5. Any of the veggie gurus have any thoughts or concerns to share with me about doing this?

Thanks for any suggestions!

flo

Sure, the 29-0-5 could be used, but you have to consider the plants in your garden and if high nitrogen is necessary.

Nitrogen grows green foliage in the gardens, just as it does on the lawn. Vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and other green leafy vegetables benefit from the nitrogen. The bigger and more lush those plants are, the more we enjoy them.

However, with tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, lush and vigorous leaf growth is of no use to us because we harvest the fruits of those plants. Nothing worse than a 4' X 8' tomato plant growing beautifully, but only having 3 tomatoes on the entire plant.

After you transplant and they become established, one hit of nitrogen is usually enough for the whole season, as the P & K takes over and allows the plant to produce fruit.

[xapabwa]

Awesome - thanks, Gary. Really appreciate. The garden is two years old and the first year it did wonderful. I had cucumbers that went from too small to pick to the size of small zucchinis in a couple of days and big, juicy tomatoes. Last year, not so much. I still had tomatoes and cucumbers, but not as many and not growing as fast or as large. Not sure if nutrients were the issue of if it got so hot so fast and then stayed there I just couldn't keep it moist enough. I tried brussel sprouts the first year and broccoli last year only to have both ravaged by cabbage worms. I'm the only one in the family who will eat brussel sprouts and to not have to deal with those hungry little worms, I think I'll just pick up some broccoli at the store this year.

Perhaps I'll stick with the 10-10-10 or maybe some Chickity doo doo and use a sparing about of the 29-0-5 in the area I plant the lettuce. Hopefully the rabbit living in my yard has gained so much weight eating my lawn, crocuses and mondo grass that she won't be able to make it up the wall of the raised bed to eat my lettuce!

[GaryCinChicago]

I had cucumbers that went from too small to pick to the size of small zucchinis in a couple of days and big, juicy tomatoes. Last year, not so much. I still had tomatoes and cucumbers, but not as many and not growing as fast or as large. Not sure if nutrients were the issue of if it got so hot so fast and then stayed there I just couldn't keep it moist enough.

Blooms setting fruit all depends on temperature, not moisture. Too hot and all you get is pretty little flowers. A sudden cold snap and the bloom shrivel up.

Because of this, states like Florida has two tomato seasons, spring and fall, when temps will allow a bloom to set fruit.

For us, it's all up to nature. Some years are great - some are poor.

[GaryCinChicago]

I forgot to mention - +1 With cucumbers, there is both male and female flowers. It's the female flower that produces fruit. But without the pollination from the male flower, the female bloom shrivels up.

Again - all depends on nature, LOL!

[xapabwa]

I forgot to mention - +1 With cucumbers, there is both male and female flowers. It's the female flower that produces fruit. But without the pollination from the male flower, the female bloom shrivels up.

Again - all depends on nature, LOL!

Yes, I experience the joys of plant sex with my yellow squash last year as my male flowers and female flowers were on two very different schedules. Thought I was going to have to get out a Qtip and pry some flowers open and do the deed myself. They finally started bloom together, but it took them a while.

[MorpheusPA]

And you didn't post the flower porn? Shame.

[xapabwa]

Sorry, Morph. I was too busy cussing over the beginnings of little squash that would just stop at the size of a baby gerkin to go get my camera.

[xapabwa]

Too much P in your veggie garden can lead to some rather bitter flavors, which some people actually like (the more bitter my Brussels sprouts, the more I like them). 33 PPM would correspond to over 300 on the Logan test, sufficient for vegetable gardens but not excessive. Anything up to 500 on the Logan test would be fine (and for flower gardens, 500 would be my base target).

Potassium is just about optimal, although raising it wouldn't be an issue. Tomatoes are sticklers for potassium availability, and show nasty symptoms if they don't have enough. You have enough and won't see any potassium deficiency symptoms.

Lower nitrogen levels with organic feedings are to be expected--any synthetics tend to bind into bacterial mass to chew up the carbon in there. 13 PPM is actually a pretty good answer, my lawn came back at 2 PPM and you sure couldn't say it was low by its growth rate or green color!

All in all, I'd say your garden looks good to go and you can either use light amounts of 10-10-10 if you want, or mix it into the lawn, or a combination of both. You don't require P or K in the garden at this time, although a little more of each won't hurt if you decide you want to.

I totally missed this post - Sorry! Thank you for your analysis.