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It begins. The organic vs chemical.
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:23 pm
by thebahamiangardener
Ok now I've got about 8 cow peas plants started. In a week I'll fertilize
using
Fish emulsion
Compost tea
Vegescrap boil down
vegetable Emulsion
Epsom salts
chemical
Mikracle gro nursery select
Shults all purpose
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:21 pm
by rainbowgardener
OK you invited the challenge.. If you have and use
Fish emulsion
Compost tea
Vegescrap boil down
vegetable Emulsion
Epsom salts
why do you need the MiracleGro etc? Perhaps you should try the experiment, do one section of your garden with just the organics and one section with organic + synthetic and see if you can tell the difference.
Of course for best results you should continue the experiment over several years, since over time the synthetics are breaking down the tilth of the soil. I haven't done the experiment myself, but my prediction would be the first year you might get a small advantage to the section with added synthetics (but if you weren't careful with them, the advantage would all be in height, leafiness, and it would be a disadvantage in actual yield), As time went on the advantage would be more and more to the organics only. But speculation... do the experiment for us and report back
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:34 pm
by thebahamiangardener
thanx I'll try maybe that. I'm trying to start a raised bed soon.. Interesting.
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:05 pm
by soil
organics is more than a quick fix like chemical based fertilizers. I doubt you will see the same results in a soil that has not been built organically over time.
if you kept doing it for a few years, and watched the soils. chances are the organic plot to increase in yield and health, and the chemical to be more dependent on well....chemicals.
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:47 pm
by thebahamiangardener
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:58 am
by !potatoes!
I appreciate the desire for experimentation, but I'm not convinced cowpeas are going to need much extra fertility in general - they're hardy, nitrogen-fixing little buggers.
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:27 pm
by thebahamiangardener
no I'm not just doing cow peas. Those r the only1 's I have poitted right now the celeriac ,pepper s, giant pumpkin, tomatoes and lettuce r all still to be germinated. I'll update when they germinated.And I'll follow the experiment thru to harvest.
Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:00 pm
by gixxerific
"Still to be germinated" that's great.
We are all cleaning up for the year and you are starting plants.
I too would like to see the results of this experiment. I admit to being a synthetic guy for many years. But that is no more, I have slowly been switching and next year will be 100% organic.
Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:07 pm
by thebahamiangardener
well where I live we have 12 months of summer.So anytimes good for seeds starting.
Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:53 pm
by gixxerific
We had about 1 month of summer this year and a loooooooooong spring and fall.
