December 13, 2024
Earlier this week, I dug up a little more than a cup of dirt from about 4 inches down. I dug this up where I was considering planting my garden.
I have a soil testing kit to determine how acidic my soil is and what the levels for nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are.
Here’s the kit with the ph test and the jug with the dirt and water mixture.
The ph test results show we have acidic soil at 5.5. Not great, but it can be corrected.
Next, the nitrogen test showed depleted. Hmm. This is not good. I continue with the testing. The potassium test showed depleted. This is getting worse after each test. The phosphorus test showed deficient.
Clearly, even though the weeds grow well, this is not a place to put my garden. Time to find another spot to test.
Blackberry Homestead 
Do you have an extension program at Alabama or Auburn (or Mississippi State) that could help tell you what you could do to mend the soil? We ran some samples through Michigan State and they told us what to do. Definitely helped. Maybe if you don’t have success in another location?
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Yes, Alabama does have an extension program. I’ve started looking into it and already have a name and phone number of who I should contact for gardening. The soil test are $10 a sample, which is why I using an over the counter soil testing kit. With the clay, we may just go to raised beds.
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Start composting now so you will have something delicious to feed your plants later!
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I’ve got a compost pile started. It is mostly made up of pulled weeds and apple peels and cores. I need to corral it. I’ve had great success composting in bins made of chicken wire. Time to buy some chicken wire.
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I’ve heard to be careful of composting weeds. Some of the seeds can survive, then they have a head start in the garden.
Do you keep a can on the kitchen counter for cores and peels? I had to stop because it’s too cold here, but mine will be back in a few weeks.
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I currently use a bowl and either Bruce or I will take it to the compost heap at the end of the meal.
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I never thought of picking out a garden spot. I inherited mine.
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Our 5 acres is large enough to pick out a garden spot. There isn’t any clear use of a garden spot. It looks like the property was terraced for farming at one point. I like the gentle terracing up to the back pasture. The back pasture doesn’t have any terraces.
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I’ve lived in towns all my life, so your acreage seems quite large. There is certainly lots of space to choose from.
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I grew up on a dairy farm and we gardened on 1 to 5 acres. Blackberry Homestead seems spacious after living in city lots.
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You really have scope to breathe deeply.
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Yes, we do!
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