Very informative video Jared. Thanks for doing this. I too have been interested in the master gardener program so its nice to get a general idea of what may be presented. I was concerned the majority of the discussion would be based around chemical fertilizer, pesticides and so on. I think its important that more people who practice strict organic methods join these types of programs in order to change the type of information being given to our communities. Looking forward to the next video.
Another Great review of your class. I send my soil samples to the soil lab at the University of Mass even though I live in Washington State. They're lab is subsidized so it is very inexpensive and the forms are online. I think it's $9 a sample and you get a great 3 page report. Definitely worth the cost of shipping 500 grams of nearly dry material. The web site with the forms has info on how to sample also. Thank you for the videos!
Very interesting! and yep, it did make me think when you mentioned the no nitrogen results in your state. I've been reading many old mid 1800's books on soil, and even though there are differences today, it's a wealth of information. You wouldn't believe how many testing's they did back then, very close to the way they are done today too! I just love anything permaculture, however I'm on very flat land, and at the lowest point you can get to, including close to the water. So, since my issue is the amount of water that ends up on the surface of my land, sandy soil that should drain like crazy, but has clay at it's bottom, and rich dark top soil on top. I need to work on the soil to make sure it can drain properly. This property has not been touched since 1948-1950, and I doubt that it was worked (woods) at all before then, other than removing all the trees at that time for the new development. (which only built a few homes) There is water about 5 feet under my land, so it's a long wait for the land to dry out, however, when the heat comes, it's as dry as a bone. By spring, I have water sitting on it up to my ankles, yet I still get lots of high grass and bushes that are not harmed by it. It's the wait that makes me crazy. Will you be learning about drainage and maybe underground tiles or anything about getting rid of too much water in your class? I know the old fashioned underground tile method, and digging pits method, from my old books, but wondered what they do today for this issue. There are also no sewer systems either, just the old stone trench type system at the front of the property too. (which goes nowhere!) They are connecting them to the system that is already there, to take the water to the river, however it will be some time before they get to my street, so I have to do something so that I can get on with building on it before too long. The new shed, greenhouse and storage building is going up this spring, so any suggestions would be wonderful.
Sheila6325, while we did discuss the damage that can be caused by standing water we did not get into the depths of "how to" fix it - more just to be able to identify that it is the problem so we can advice the homeowner that they need to fix it. Perhaps so minor earthworks would help to drain off the excess water? Unless your sooo flat that when you have standing water then you are also a part of the river/lake/sea (you didn't say what body of water you were close to), then you've got the ability to move that water. I'm sure you're also thinking about focusing on plants that love the water - heck, if it's there, use it! As for your shed, greenhouse and storage building --- I'm jealous.
J&J Acres The standing water is just from rain and being the lowest ground in the area. I'm on the Wicomico River, right off the Potomac River, right off the Atlantic Ocean! LOL We do have drainage ditches all over the development, but it's been many years since they were cleared. Even though it's the # 1 project right now, it will be a long time before it will help my property, so I thought it would be wise to try something to help channel the water to the drainage ditches in the front of the property until they connect it on my road. The run off is connected to the river, and it does drain the land, however, some of it is being worked on too, so until all is dug out, we will have the standing water issue. I really need to find out who one would talk to about how to manage it. I don't even know who takes care of issues like this one. all in all, I can always dig a few trenches and let the water run off into them, it's not real bad, and will be gone when the weather changes, but the wait, at this point, (because of the new buildings) is not going to work. I will need to do something. In the mid 1800's they dug down and put tiles in that were like using pipe to direct the water to another area, even if they had to dig a big pit to hold it. It does work, because I have read a lot of "fixes" about it. Talking about flat, it can't get any flatter! LOL However the entire development is at the foot of a hill. There are huge farms on both sides too. I think I'm going to try those black tube shape pipes, with holes in them, to take in the water and with some sand in the bottom it will most Likely be enough to get the water down and out of the way. I know people that do that kind of work. It's still cold here, and a lot of rain that will be falling soon, so I will have to do something. I can't thank you enough for your video, it really is good information and I'm all for learning. I will let you know what I do when I talk to the septic guys, maybe they can help with the property. It may not be a septic issue for them, but they have the machines, and do lay pipe, so I'll see if they can help with my problem too. Bless, Sheila PS No water plants, when the standing water is gone, it's dry as a bone around there. I even thought of installing a really small pond for the frogs, but in summer it would BOIL!!! LOL I decided that some nice fruit trees and berry bushes would be better. PSS this standing water issue is only around for 2-3 months in the spring,
Soil samples are very important, along with knowing the PH of your soil. Different plants require different PH levels. For most plants a neutral PH is best. Having a soil sample lets you know what nutrients are in your soil. Just throwing out fertilizer doesn't help unless you know what is already in the soil. Certain plants require certain nutrients so you have to know how much in in the soil and how much that plant is going to use. Putting out more than the soil can hold is only a waste. There are certain nutrients that will not leach out of soil but that can be washed away with your topsoil in a heavy rain.
Phosphorus is a big problem in some places. Not only can it be a big waste to add it to soil when it is not needed, it can run off into lakes and cause harmful algae blooms. Look at Toledo, Ohio for an example.
I think you are correct! Travis was just starting a new garden and was just asking me about clay soil the other day...I thought this may be helpful to him.
Side I spent about 50 euro and about 3 hours planting my seeds and when I got up today the greenhouse had got blown over by the wind and to make it even worse it fell into the flower bed
Jamie Byrd, I am very sorry to hear that. Please don't let it stop you. Put that greenhouse back where it belongs, stake it down, and do it again. Don't let the disappointment win!
*"We learned..... We Learned..... We Learned....* At least that's what I heard all the way thought the video, very cool J&J Acres! This video was very helpful to me, and I'm sure it will be helpful to many other gardeners and self-sustainability advocates. I found your conversation around Ph levels and micro-nutrients very informative and probably the best part of the video. Is Permaculture For Me? - aw4c.com/Permaculture-Series *Thank YOU for sharing what "we learned"!* #Soil #GardeningSoil #SoilTest #MasterGardener
So your video prompted me to use the Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey webtool at: websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/ It let me draw a boundary around my property and generate a custom soil report about my soil type, horizon characteristics, drainage, water storage capacity, and more. Then I did a Google search for my soil type and accessed it's USDA soil series description that told me more about my soil and its characteristics. Pretty cool. And I'm pretty fortunate in my soil type (Malabon, a Class I soil -- some equally as good, but none better) -- a silty clay loam that's >80" deep, can drain >1/2" per hour, can store 11.4" of water in the top 60", and typically has fine roots >40" down. That said, given our climate, it says my soil is typically dry in the 4-12" layer for 45-60 consecutive days. It's a cool soil report. Thanks for prompting me to think about my soil type, and thanks to USDA and Natural Resources Conservation Service for the information!
How cool, I'm going to share your comment with my husband. He is a NRCS soils scientist who does quality control for the information that goes into web soil survey. It is an awesome tool.
Momma Dirt Jared's video really got me thinking about the different gardening challenges we face, just because of our soils, where it all starts. And the soils report helped me appreciate key differences that go beyond soil nutrients, especially the soil depth, drainage rates, water storage capacity, and that dry layer. I'd bet Jared's soils are quite a bit different -- and certainly more challenging!
So yeah... neglecting to share how to apply fertilizers (be they organic or inorganic) is a major omission in what you learned & shared. Many people don't understand soil testing, soil test results interpretation, & proper soil amending & fertilizing to create optimal growing conditions. Provding your viewers with that information (in an effective yet simple manner) would be very beneficial. Yes, I know it isn't easy, but you seem to be acquring enough knowledge by this time to take a decent crack at it. *Here's a rough outline:* 1. Learn what your plant/s requirements (temp, light, moisture, soil: texture, drainage, nutrients, etc) are to grow minimally & optimally. 2. Get your soil professionally tested by an organization that not only tests for important macro & micro nutrients, but also provides recommendation for soil amendments & fertilizing. If MS testers lack when it comes to N testing, then send your samples to TX (that's where I get mine done & they provide excellent testing & recommendations for a decent price--they even provide phone support if you have questions) 3. Do the necessary math to calculate how much amendment/s, nutrient/s & fertilizer will be required for your soil. 4. Apply amendments & fertilizer per the manufacture's directions. If you use natural/organic fertilizers (e.g. manures, bone meal, fish emulsionis, etc), do some research to learn how to properly apply those materials, how long they take to reach their maximum effect in your soil, & how long they will last in your soil before you have to add more. 5. Get your soil retested just before planting time to determine how close to your optimal nutrient levels your soil has become--remember, you may have to wait a while for some soil additions to achieve their maximum affects in your soil) 6. If necessary, apply more amendments or fertilizers as necessary to optimize your growing bed conditions.
Thanks for sharing, soil one of the most under rated and over abused parts of our planet.
It's all about getting the carbon in the soil! Thanks for the update Jarod.
Ben Jamin, you are very welcome, thank you for watching.
I like this video, soil is so important and often overlooked.
Very informative video Jared. Thanks for doing this. I too have been interested in the master gardener program so its nice to get a general idea of what may be presented. I was concerned the majority of the discussion would be based around chemical fertilizer, pesticides and so on. I think its important that more people who practice strict organic methods join these types of programs in order to change the type of information being given to our communities. Looking forward to the next video.
Bryan Wickizer, my pleasure. Thank you for watching.
Another Great review of your class. I send my soil samples to the soil lab at the University of Mass even though I live in Washington State. They're lab is subsidized so it is very inexpensive and the forms are online. I think it's $9 a sample and you get a great 3 page report. Definitely worth the cost of shipping 500 grams of nearly dry material. The web site with the forms has info on how to sample also. Thank you for the videos!
Ed Smith, you're very welcome. Thank you for the kind words and the tip on a good place to get a soil test done.
Very interesting! and yep, it did make me think when you mentioned the no nitrogen results in your state. I've been reading many old mid 1800's books on soil, and even though there are differences today, it's a wealth of information. You wouldn't believe how many testing's they did back then, very close to the way they are done today too!
I just love anything permaculture, however I'm on very flat land, and at the lowest point you can get to, including close to the water. So, since my issue is the amount of water that ends up on the surface of my land, sandy soil that should drain like crazy, but has clay at it's bottom, and rich dark top soil on top. I need to work on the soil to make sure it can drain properly. This property has not been touched since 1948-1950, and I doubt that it was worked (woods) at all before then, other than removing all the trees at that time for the new development. (which only built a few homes) There is water about 5 feet under my land, so it's a long wait for the land to dry out, however, when the heat comes, it's as dry as a bone. By spring, I have water sitting on it up to my ankles, yet I still get lots of high grass and bushes that are not harmed by it. It's the wait that makes me crazy.
Will you be learning about drainage and maybe underground tiles or anything about getting rid of too much water in your class? I know the old fashioned underground tile method, and digging pits method, from my old books, but wondered what they do today for this issue. There are also no sewer systems either, just the old stone trench type system at the front of the property too. (which goes nowhere!) They are connecting them to the system that is already there, to take the water to the river, however it will be some time before they get to my street, so I have to do something so that I can get on with building on it before too long. The new shed, greenhouse and storage building is going up this spring, so any suggestions would be wonderful.
Sheila6325, while we did discuss the damage that can be caused by standing water we did not get into the depths of "how to" fix it - more just to be able to identify that it is the problem so we can advice the homeowner that they need to fix it.
Perhaps so minor earthworks would help to drain off the excess water? Unless your sooo flat that when you have standing water then you are also a part of the river/lake/sea (you didn't say what body of water you were close to), then you've got the ability to move that water.
I'm sure you're also thinking about focusing on plants that love the water - heck, if it's there, use it!
As for your shed, greenhouse and storage building --- I'm jealous.
J&J Acres The standing water is just from rain and being the lowest ground in the area. I'm on the Wicomico River, right off the Potomac River, right off the Atlantic Ocean! LOL We do have drainage ditches all over the development, but it's been many years since they were cleared. Even though it's the # 1 project right now, it will be a long time before it will help my property, so I thought it would be wise to try something to help channel the water to the drainage ditches in the front of the property until they connect it on my road. The run off is connected to the river, and it does drain the land, however, some of it is being worked on too, so until all is dug out, we will have the standing water issue. I really need to find out who one would talk to about how to manage it. I don't even know who takes care of issues like this one. all in all, I can always dig a few trenches and let the water run off into them, it's not real bad, and will be gone when the weather changes, but the wait, at this point, (because of the new buildings) is not going to work. I will need to do something. In the mid 1800's they dug down and put tiles in that were like using pipe to direct the water to another area, even if they had to dig a big pit to hold it. It does work, because I have read a lot of "fixes" about it. Talking about flat, it can't get any flatter! LOL However the entire development is at the foot of a hill. There are huge farms on both sides too. I think I'm going to try those black tube shape pipes, with holes in them, to take in the water and with some sand in the bottom it will most Likely be enough to get the water down and out of the way. I know people that do that kind of work. It's still cold here, and a lot of rain that will be falling soon, so I will have to do something.
I can't thank you enough for your video, it really is good information and I'm all for learning. I will let you know what I do when I talk to the septic guys, maybe they can help with the property. It may not be a septic issue for them, but they have the machines, and do lay pipe, so I'll see if they can help with my problem too. Bless, Sheila
PS No water plants, when the standing water is gone, it's dry as a bone around there. I even thought of installing a really small pond for the frogs, but in summer it would BOIL!!! LOL I decided that some nice fruit trees and berry bushes would be better. PSS this standing water issue is only around for 2-3 months in the spring,
Soil samples are very important, along with knowing the PH of your soil. Different plants require different PH levels. For most plants a neutral PH is best. Having a soil sample lets you know what nutrients are in your soil. Just throwing out fertilizer doesn't help unless you know what is already in the soil. Certain plants require certain nutrients so you have to know how much in in the soil and how much that plant is going to use. Putting out more than the soil can hold is only a waste. There are certain nutrients that will not leach out of soil but that can be washed away with your topsoil in a heavy rain.
Phosphorus is a big problem in some places. Not only can it be a big waste to add it to soil when it is not needed, it can run off into lakes and cause harmful algae blooms. Look at Toledo, Ohio for an example.
Did you get that whole book in that course? Sweet, that's huge.
Survive Without Travis you may wanna check this video out!
Lee Ralph, I agree, everyone should check it out!
I think you are correct! Travis was just starting a new garden and was just asking me about clay soil the other day...I thought this may be helpful to him.
Lee Ralph thank you. i subbed
Lots of good info here Travis!
Side I spent about 50 euro and about 3 hours planting my seeds and when I got up today the greenhouse had got blown over by the wind and to make it even worse it fell into the flower bed
Jamie Byrd, I am very sorry to hear that. Please don't let it stop you. Put that greenhouse back where it belongs, stake it down, and do it again. Don't let the disappointment win!
*"We learned..... We Learned..... We Learned....* At least that's what I heard all the way thought the video, very cool J&J Acres!
This video was very helpful to me, and I'm sure it will be helpful to many other gardeners and self-sustainability advocates. I found your conversation around Ph levels and micro-nutrients very informative and probably the best part of the video.
Is Permaculture For Me? - aw4c.com/Permaculture-Series
*Thank YOU for sharing what "we learned"!*
#Soil #GardeningSoil #SoilTest #MasterGardener
*****, Thanks so much for watching - we certainly did learn a lot of things.
:) J&J Acres
So your video prompted me to use the Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey webtool at: websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/ It let me draw a boundary around my property and generate a custom soil report about my soil type, horizon characteristics, drainage, water storage capacity, and more. Then I did a Google search for my soil type and accessed it's USDA soil series description that told me more about my soil and its characteristics. Pretty cool.
And I'm pretty fortunate in my soil type (Malabon, a Class I soil -- some equally as good, but none better) -- a silty clay loam that's >80" deep, can drain >1/2" per hour, can store 11.4" of water in the top 60", and typically has fine roots >40" down. That said, given our climate, it says my soil is typically dry in the 4-12" layer for 45-60 consecutive days. It's a cool soil report.
Thanks for prompting me to think about my soil type, and thanks to USDA and Natural Resources Conservation Service for the information!
How cool, I'm going to share your comment with my husband. He is a NRCS soils scientist who does quality control for the information that goes into web soil survey. It is an awesome tool.
Momma Dirt Jared's video really got me thinking about the different gardening challenges we face, just because of our soils, where it all starts. And the soils report helped me appreciate key differences that go beyond soil nutrients, especially the soil depth, drainage rates, water storage capacity, and that dry layer. I'd bet Jared's soils are quite a bit different -- and certainly more challenging!
So yeah... neglecting to share how to apply fertilizers (be they organic or inorganic) is a major omission in what you learned & shared. Many people don't understand soil testing, soil test results interpretation, & proper soil amending & fertilizing to create optimal growing conditions. Provding your viewers with that information (in an effective yet simple manner) would be very beneficial. Yes, I know it isn't easy, but you seem to be acquring enough knowledge by this time to take a decent crack at it.
*Here's a rough outline:*
1. Learn what your plant/s requirements (temp, light, moisture, soil: texture, drainage, nutrients, etc) are to grow minimally & optimally.
2. Get your soil professionally tested by an organization that not only tests for important macro & micro nutrients, but also provides recommendation for soil amendments & fertilizing. If MS testers lack when it comes to N testing, then send your samples to TX (that's where I get mine done & they provide excellent testing & recommendations for a decent price--they even provide phone support if you have questions)
3. Do the necessary math to calculate how much amendment/s, nutrient/s & fertilizer will be required for your soil.
4. Apply amendments & fertilizer per the manufacture's directions. If you use natural/organic fertilizers (e.g. manures, bone meal, fish emulsionis, etc), do some research to learn how to properly apply those materials, how long they take to reach their maximum effect in your soil, & how long they will last in your soil before you have to add more.
5. Get your soil retested just before planting time to determine how close to your optimal nutrient levels your soil has become--remember, you may have to wait a while for some soil additions to achieve their maximum affects in your soil)
6. If necessary, apply more amendments or fertilizers as necessary to optimize your growing bed conditions.