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Location

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Date Posted

Deer Park, WI

If memory serves correctly, some ambitious soul in our world embarked on a mission to collect soil tests and identify trends associated with growing large fruit. Im specifically trying to identify: #1 who dunnit (was it Andy w?) and #2 what were average OM percentages of the top performing gardens?

Any answers to the above and beyond would be appreciated.

1/19/2013 4:03:39 PM

Minnesota

Joe,
Don Chambers and 9 percent

1/19/2013 5:03:04 PM

Frankfort Ohio

8 to 9 % to hi the higher the fomming stumps and dzzzzzzz

1/19/2013 5:21:18 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Who was it that put so much organic material in their garden that it essentially became a compost pile and nothing would grow because the temperature of the pile was too high?

1/19/2013 5:53:19 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

I tried 100% a few times, but it was not helpful.

1/19/2013 7:56:52 PM

Piqua, Ohio

in 2008 I had 17% and disease wiped me out, now I try for 6-7%

1/20/2013 10:13:59 AM

canal winchester ohio

If the organic matter you are adding has been tested for disease why wouldn't 9-15% be fine? And if you are adding organic matter ( that's not a cover crop) why would you not test anything you are applying.

1/20/2013 10:33:35 AM

canal winchester ohio

I mean we try to control every aspect of these plants but a lot of growers blindly apply organic matter without even knowing whats in it. Seems crazy

1/20/2013 10:34:56 AM

midlands Uk

does anyone know what the best manure is for AG´s.
Over here in the canaries we have a limited supply of goat, donkey and cow manure which is very limited and can be very expensive. so any help as to which ones would be the best would be very apprieciated as this is my first year and im getting the plot ready at the moment.

Thanks

1/20/2013 11:31:51 AM

il be the other side of the coin on this

ive heard for years and years (from growers with low om) how high om causes disease while they are fighting lots of disease there self. my om usually runs low to mid20;s and i dont see any more disease than anyone else. some years none some years slight. and no foaming stumps
i think its more about texture and drainage

1/20/2013 11:53:10 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

In Korea they spread fresh human manure on the fields. Here in the US we do use material taken from waste disposal facilities which is human waste. So why not use cow, horse, donkey, dog, chicken, canary or whatever manure as long as it has been composted properly? The actual content of fresh manure depends on what the animal ate. That is why race horse manure is better in content than regular horse manure.

1/20/2013 1:47:49 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

I have never used anything but horse manure and i think the results speak for itself.PB 1811lbs:))

1/20/2013 2:32:10 PM

Piqua, Ohio

I don't think the same percentage of OM can be compared without comparing soil type. Even testing my compost I still end up with a disease. Maybe I need to work on my drainage.

1/20/2013 4:04:17 PM

Minnesota

des-I think cow is the best, Personely I would try all of the manure, should be at least a year old.

1/20/2013 4:42:03 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Im with Don and have OM at 15-20% which I keep it that percentage with a manure/compost blend added every couple of years. We are on a slope and have a sandy/silt layer a few feet down and have good drainage. Disease has never been a major factor for us but we also use preventative treatments.

1/20/2013 6:14:19 PM

Connecticut

Make sure if you are looking across multiple growers the same method for determining organic matter was used. (There are different methods that may be used by different testing labs)

http://extension.udel.edu/lawngarden/files/2012/10/CHAP8.pdf

1/20/2013 7:20:58 PM

Bethlehem CT

High Organic matter and excessive soil moisture. This combination may be where the problem is coming from. For disease to occur you need these three things.
1. The host plant (Pumpkin plant)
2. The pathogen (fungus, bacteria, virus)
3. The right environmental conditions for the spores to germinate and to grow.
If we can control any one of these 3 then we can prevent the disease from occurring. It is very difficult to control the first two, but we often can control the environment to help prevent a disease.

1/20/2013 7:34:02 PM

Colorado

If I remember correctly,a few expert lecturers have said that high organic matter is good for disease prevention.I'm talking 5-10%.Nobody lectures about 20% plus cause it only exists in a few giant P. growers patches and peat bogs-ha

1/21/2013 12:05:19 PM

Cochran, Georgia

Remember that the soil Organic levels vary widely according to depth. a percentage of organic material needs to have a testing depth associated with it (ex. 4 inches.)The more shallow the test the higher the OM level.

1/25/2013 6:50:16 PM