Replies

I have glanced at this thread off and on and am considering a garden in the backyard next spring. My main question is using manure as fertilizer. It sounds like letting it compost for 120 days will cook off all of the bad bugs - any other thoughts on fertilizing and amending clayey soil?

I went to the Ed Hume seed company website as they specialize in seeds for NW America climate. They have mostly heirloom seeds but many hybrids as well.

I AM NOT a plant person - but figured I can learn.

I’m pretty sure my yard will not be the greatest for vegetables but it is worth a try I think. It would still get probably 7 hours of sun a day in the summer (fairly shady).

Yes, you should compost the fertilizer, as if you use it straight on the garden, it will burn the plants and be too hot for the seeds.

If possible, layer the compost with leaves or spoiled hay.

Rabbit manure is the only one safe to use directly on older plants, that I know of and have used.

No, you don’t loose the plant value and someone with a better knowledge could give you clearer answers than I, but to me it seems that when you mix the leaves, garbage, manure and whatever else you can find, they trap and swap the goodies they each have to actually give you a better product.

If I was working with pure clay, I would then switch to raised beds and go looking for topsoil and compost, that is what I have to do here, as I have both pure sand and pure clay, so my beds were raised, using old lumber.

It is not good to use railroad ties, as they contain a creosote preservative.

Cement blocks will work.

I posted a link to the Sand Hill Preservation nursery earlier tonight , they are excellent for seeds.

If possible use heritage seeds, as they will put up with bad sites for growing, or that has been my experience, the hybrids want to have it just right and that is not possible here.

There are garden articles and links throughout this thread.

Where are you located, maybe there is someone here from your area.