Gardening Question

[Banded Drake Calls]

So a question for the experts here on what my next step needs to be. Over the last 3 years I've seen a steady decline in the production of my garden, pretty much across the board with everything I plant except corn and okra, those 2 have done well. I plant bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, green beans, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers (both straight 8s and pickling). Really the only thing different I can think I've done different than the first year I had good success was i haven't been using compost tea. My soil is a mixture of sand and black ground (I'm surrounded by farm land), and I've brought in about 6 yards of mushroom compost over the past couple years.

So what should I do to figure my next step to help it grow? Do I send off soil samples? Can i test myself? I just had my water tested, ph was around 7.5.

My peppers have never done well, decent, but not well. We buy our peppers and tomato bushes from a local nursery that has a very good reputation.

Right now my garden is just a mix of clover, weeds and grass. I'm about to till it up hopefully in the next week and start getting everything prepped

Any help on what I should do/check would be appreciated

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[Canoe1]

Add some good compost ever year, 3" or so, no need to really till it in.
Feed with good organic fertilizer, compost tea is great.
Plants use up the nutrients, need to replace them.
Also can try a winter cover crop as well during the winter (too late this year of course).

I'm in burned out farmland, and do not have access to get loads of compost, wish I could have a garden. Guess I need to use buckets.


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[MadHatter]

You're kinda high for peppers on the ph.
Adding compost will bring it closer to a neutral ph.
Or you can use Aluminium Sulfate or the like.
Lots of salt in mushrooms compost, and depending on how big your garden is, you might have overdone it.
But then again, if you did over do it, your ph should be lower.
Soil sample is your best best to know for sure.

[hopedale]

Is this a small garden or something big?

Best bet is to get a soil test to see what is going on.

If its a small garden, and you don't have time to get the soil tested, my Dad swears by Miracle-Grow vegtable and herbs - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Miracle-...9430/206553426

He uses it in my Mom's raise bed garden and swears by it.

[Banded Drake Calls]

Is this a small garden or something big?

Best bet is to get a soil test to see what is going on.

If its a small garden, and you don't have time to get the soil tested, my Dad swears by Miracle-Grow vegtable and herbs - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Miracle-...9430/206553426

He uses it in my Mom's raise bed garden and swears by it.

It's about 1800 sq ft or so.

I know you can send soil samples off the the ag extension office. Is this the best way to have it tested?

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[elgato]

If it were me I would:
Stop tilling and never till again
Add high quality compost every year
Cover with deep mulch--alfalfa hay, or wood chips are great- Builds soil and essentially eliminates weeding
Continue with compost tea for fertility plus add some good organic fertilizer
Add molasses to the soil via foliar spray perhaps when you add compost tea
or buy liquid fertilizer with it in it. This will cause an exposion of microbial life in your soil
Consider adding a couple handfuls of inoculated biochar to each plant when planted
Sprinkle a little epsom salt around plants
Add a little oyster shell powder to tomatoes
Think in terms of building soil and the microbial life in it with every step you take. Become a worm farmer in your garden


Just a few thought starters

[Big Lee]

My grandfather could grow a tree from a 2X4. He would till in horse manure every year. Plant seedlings he started, and grow the best garden in town. I’ve followed much of what he did and the same success. Haven’t tested anything other than great food.

[Banded Drake Calls]

Good advice, I appreciate it. Is the mushroom compost considered good compost? Where could I look to get several yards of good mulch? I live down by the coast near Victoria

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[Briar Friar]

Nematodes can be bad in sandy soils...especially with no treatments and continual cultivation. Cotton root rot can be bad in black soil...which affects many plants aside from cotton. Potentially a double whammy amongst other pests. Id suggest a solarized sterilization of the soil...at minimum for preventative holistic pest control. Compost tea is magic juice and will be necessary for application to the soil and plants...post soil sterilization.

Good luck Mr Calls.

[Joe H]

Good advice, I appreciate it. Is the mushroom compost considered good compost? Where could I look to get several yards of good mulch? I live down by the coast near Victoria

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Mushroom farm in Gonzales is where I buy mine

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[texasair]

The yard long green beans from Burpee do well in almost all conditions
they are a climbing bean not a bush bean

[Ishi&Elvis]

elgato speaks the truth, become a worm farmer and your garden will be great.

[Man]

El gato said everything i would have said. I would like to empathize no more tilling , woodchips, and worms and let nature work it magic.
Youtube:Back to Edin garden.

[Banded Drake Calls]

Mushroom farm in Gonzales is where I buy mine

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That's where I get mine as well

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[hopedale]

It's about 1800 sq ft or so.

I know you can send soil samples off the the ag extension office. Is this the best way to have it tested?

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I'd try the county co-op first and see if they can do it. Might be able to get it done same day.