healthy garden soils and drought mitigation - oklahoma state university

Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources • Oklahoma State University

Thesuccessorfailureofgardeningdependsheavilyonhowgardenersprepareandusetheirsoil,andontheamountoforganicmatterinthesoil.Rich,productivegardensoildoesnotusuallyhappenbyitselfbutcanbeachievedwithplentyofeffortandpersistence. Improvingthesoil isanongoingprocessifyoudesirehealthysoil—andhealthysoilistheveryfoundationofanEarth-Kindgarden. Methodsofpreparingorimprovingsoilincludethead-ditionoforganicmatter,gardenrecyclingandcomposting,fertilizing,andgrowingcovercrops.AllthesecanbepartofanEarth-Kindsystemof usingnaturalmethodswheneverpossibletomaintainandenhanceagarden’secosystem.

Some Helpful Definitions Earth-Kind Gardening—aprogramthatencouragesnon-chemicalpracticessuchascultural,mechanical,botanical,andbiologicalcontrolsforgardenpests. Organic Gardening—asystemofgrowinghealthyplantsby encouraging healthy soil, taking advantage of beneficial insectsandbirds,andusingnaturalororganicfertilizersandpesticides.Thetermorganicgardeninghasdifferentmeaningsamongdifferentindividuals,soasyntheticallymanufacturedfertilizerorpesticidemaybeobjectionable tooneorganicgardenerbutacceptabletoanother. Integrated Pest Management—using a combinationoftechniquestoreducethequantityofpesticidesneededinthegarden. Organic Matter—decaying plant and animal debris(including manure, compost, sawdust, roots, leaves, andgrassclippings),whichhelp toenrichand loosen thesoil,

StevenH.DobbsExtensionConsumerHorticulturist

ClydetteBorthickExtensionConsumerHorticultureAssistant

improvedrainage,holdwaterandnutrients,slowerosion,and provide a favorable environment for earthworms andbeneficial microorganisms. In later stages of decay, organic matterreleasesnutrientstogrowingcrops. Cover Crops—plants that increaseorganicmatter inthe soil, aerate compacted soil, protect soil from erosionduringfallowperiods,andsmotherunwantedweeds.Covercropsarereferredtoas“greenmanurecrops”whenplantedspecifically to increase the organic matter in the soil. They arecalledcovercropswhenplantedtoprotectthesoilfromerosion. Some crops are used for both purposes. Greenmanurecropsgenerallyareplantedinthefallandtilledinthefollowingspring,buttherearesomewarm-seasongreenmanurecropsgrownduringthespringandsummer.Covercropsoftenareplantedtoprovideacontinuousgroundcoverbutalsocanbemowedortilledintothesoilatvariousgrowthstages.Oncetilledin,thecovercropprovideslessprotectionagainsterosion. Compost—an aerobic (oxygen-requiring) process ofdecaying organic matter. Fast, or “hot” composting, canbeaccomplishedinafewweeksbutrequiresmoreeffort,materials,andspacethanslow,or“cold”composting,whichcantakeseveralweeksorevenmonths. Mulch—materialplacedonthesoilsurfacetodirectlyorindirectlymoderatesoiltemperatures,retainsoilmoisture,increasegasexchange,reducesoilcrusting,reducespreadofcertaindiseases,reducefertilizerleaching,reduceweedcompetition,reducesoilcompaction,andeliminatedamagefromweedtrimmersandlawnmowers.Mostmulchesarecomposedofplantmaterials,butsome,suchasblackplastic,areman-made.

Site Selection When planning a garden, look at all possible sitestodetermine factors suchas light intensity, soil typeanddrainage,perennialweedproblems,aircirculation,treerootcompetition, and distance from a hydrant or other watersource.Ifyouhavemorethanonelocationtochoosefrom,selectthebestoneforthetypeofplantsyouwanttogrow.Ifyoursoilseemstotallyunsuitableforgardening,considerbuildingraisedbeds.Inheavyclaysoils,plantinginraisedbedsresultsinsoilsthatarebetterdrained,betteraerated,andmorefavorableforproperrootgrowth.

HLA-6436

OklahomaCooperativeExtensionFactSheetsarealsoavailableonourwebsiteat:

http://osufacts.okstate.edu

Healthy Garden Soils

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

6436-2

Organic Matter Addingseveralinchesoforganicmattertothesoileachyearhelpsthesoilinseveralwaysby:

• increasingdrainageandaerationinclaysoils;• retaining moisture and nutrients in sandy soils, and

protectingsandysoilsagainsterosion;• providingsomeofthenitrogenneededbyplants;and• increasing populations of beneficial soil organisms.

Composted animal manure or any composted plantmaterialsuchasleaves,hay,orstrawwilldo.Compostedmaterialscanbespreadon,mixedintothesoil,orusedasamulcharoundgrowingcrops. Avoidapplyinguncompostedmaterialstoyourgarden.Thesematerialsarebrokendownbysoilmicroorganisms,whichconsumenitrogenandotherplantnutrientsastheyfeed and grow. This can temporarily tie up the nutrients,makingthemunavailableforplantgrowth.

Garden Recycling Recyclinglawnandgardenwastecaneasepressureonlandfills and can return valuable nutrients and organic matter backtothesoil. Therakinganddisposingofleaflittercanbereducedbycreatingaself-mulching landscape.Linkexisting treeswithlargeislandsofplants,groundcovers,andmulch.Thedroppingleaveswillthenfallwheretheyareneededtomulchtheseplants.

Composting Finishedcomposthasmanyuses.Itcanbetilledintothe garden or used as a potting soil for plants if first sifted andthensterilized intheovenat350degreesFfor30to90 minutes (the compost temperature should reach 180degreesF).Otherusesinclude:asasidedressingforplants,asamulch,asasoilconditioner,orasaliquid“tea”fertilizer(createdbymixingthecompostwithwaterthenstraining).

Composting Guidelines Compostingcanbeafastprocess,accomplishedinafewweeks,oraslowprocessthatmaytakeseveralmonths.The followingguidelineswill helpproducecompostmorequickly. Proper ingredients—Fourthingsareneededforcom-posting:organicmatter,microorganisms(bacteria),moisture,andoxygen. Mostorganicmaterialcanbecomposted,butavoidusinggrassclippingsorotherdebrisfromplantsthathavebeenfreshlytreatedwithpostemergenceherbicides.Asageneralrule,useclippingsthathavebeencollectedafterthethirdmowing following the herbicide application. Do not placemeatsorcookingfatsinthecompostpile;theycanattractrodentsandotherscavengersandcreatebadodors.Theseproducts shouldbedriedandground into smallerpieces

beforebeingaddedtocompost.Also,avoidnoxiousweedseeds,whichmaynotbedestroyedbytheheatgeneratedinthecompost. Carbon to nitrogen ratios—Materialsthatarebrown,suchasfallenleaves,providecarbon.Materialsthataregreen,suchasfreshgrassclippings,providenitrogen.(Thegreenproductswillstartoutasanitrogensourceandchangetoacarbonsourceafterseveralweeks,soitisimportanttoaddnitrogensourcesonaregularbasis.)Ablendofcarbonandnitrogenisbest. Compost structures—Tosavespace,hastendecom-position,andkeeptheyardlookingneat,buildastructureforthecompostpile.Basethesizeontheamountofyardwastegeneratedandthespeedofcompostingdesired.Adesignthatallowsyoutoturnthepileandthatprovidescoveringwillmaketheprocesssimpleandquick. Covering the pile—Usinglidsorblackplasticasacoverforthecompostcanspeedupthedecompositionprocessbytrappingmoreheat.Acoveringalsohelpscontrolmoisturelevels. Ventilation of the bin—Itisimportanttosupplyoxygentothemicrobesthataredecomposingtheorganicmatter.Oxygencanbesuppliedbyturningthepileeverythreetosevendays.Thishelpsassureuniformdecomposition. Adding nutrients to compost—Ifasoiltestindicatesa deficiency in your garden soil, nutrients can be added to fortifythecompostpile.Examplesaredriedmanureandor-ganicfertilizers.ThegardensoilpHcanberaisedbyaddingdolomitic(orregular)limedirectlytothesoil.Smallamountsoflimemaybeaddedtothecompostpile;however,addingtoomuchlimemaycausesomenitrogentovaporize. Shredding—Shredding landscape waste into smallerpiecesquickensthecompostingprocess. Sufficient watering—Theidealmoisturecontentofthecompostpileisbestdescribedasdamplikeasponge,butnotsoggy.Aleafblowercanhelpdrysoggymaterials. Compost starters—Severalmaterialscanaddnutrients,microorganisms,orbacteriatohelpstartthedecompositionprocess, including soil, finished compost, or “compost activa-tors,whichcanbepurchasedatgardencenters.Althoughnotarequirement,addingathincoveringofthestartermaterialoverthetopeverytimenewmaterialsareaddedhelpskeepthepile’smoisture fromevaporatingandhelpsmaintainamoreuniformtemperature. Proper temperature—Toactivelykillweedseeds,patho-gens,andinsects,acompostpileshouldreachbetween130and170degreesF.Compostthermometerscanbepurchasedtohelpdeterminethetemperatureinthecenterofthepile.Thepropertemperaturealsospeedsthedecompositionprocess.

Recycling lawn and garden waste can ease pressure on

landfills and can return valuable nutrients

and organic matter back to the soil.

Materials Frequently Usedin Composting

coffeegrounds hay sawdust

corncobsandstalks leaves seaweed

cowpeastalks livestockmanure straw

eggshells newspaper vegetablewastes

fish scraps peanut shells weeds

fruitwaste pecanshells wood

grassclippings pineneedles woodash

Thetemperaturewillbegreatestaftermixingorturningthepile,thenthepilewillgraduallycool. Touch and smell—Finishedcompostwillbearichdarkcolor,willsmellsweet,willbecool,andwillcrumbletothetouch.

Cover Crops Cover,orgreenmanure,cropsareusuallygrownwhenthegardensoilisidlebutarealsosometimesplantedbetweenrowsoffruitsorvegetablestoserveasalivingmulch. Covercropsaresometimescalled~catchcrops.”Theirdeeprootsabsorbnutrientsfromthesoilthatcouldotherwiseleachawayorbeunavailabletogardencropswithshorter

roots. When tilled under, cover cropsdecomposeandreleasethose“caught”nutrients. Somecovercrops,thosefromthelegumefamily,eventrapandtransformatmosphericnitrogenintheirroots.Thisnitrogenservesasafertilizersourceforfuturecrops. Covercropsinthegrassorgrainfamily don’t actively fix nitrogen but usuallycreateathickmulch,producealargeamountoforganicmattertobetilledunder,andhavedeeprootsthatloosencompacted soils, thereby improvingdrainageandaeration. Covercropsaredividedintotwocategories: warm-season and cool-season, based on the optimum timestoplantandgrow. Warm-seasontypeswillnottol-eratefreezingtemperaturesandshouldbeplantedafteralldangeroffrost.Most

takesixtoeightweeks(orlonger)togrowlargeenoughtoturnunder.Anexceptionisbuckwheat,whichmayneedonlyfourweeksundergoodgrowingconditions. Cool-seasoncovercropswillsurvivethroughthewinter.Theyareplantedinthefall,frommid-SeptemberuntiltheendofOctober,andleftoverthewintertoprovideprotectionfrom

soilerosion.Theyneedtobeplantedearly enough so their rootsdevelopbeforewinterbutlateenoughsotheydonotcompletetheirgrowingcycle(and die) before the weather getscold. Because they are used in rota-tion with other crops in the samegardenlocation,covercropscanhelpsuppress harmful soil nematodes.Nematodes,whichareparasites,tendto be hostspecific, attacking just one croporcropfamily.Theydonot“likethetaste”ofotherplantfamilies,andtheirnumberswilldeclinewithoutthepreferredfoodsource. Somecovercrops, just likeanyother crop, may attract insects that

couldharmothergardencrops.GardenersshouldwatchforpestinsectsincovercropsandothercropsandbereadytousevariousEarth-KindGardeningmethodswhilethepestproblemisinitsearlystages. Legumesneedcertainstrainsofbacteriatoenablethemtoconvertnitrogengasfromtheairintoaformthatplantscanuse.Thebacterianeededbyvariouskindsoflegumesmayormaynotalreadybeinyourgardensoil.Tobecertain,legumeseedsshouldbecoatedwithaninoculantpowderthatcontainslivingRhizobiumspores.Commercialinoculantisusually inexpensiveandwidelyavailable.Some legumeseedsaresoldpretreatedwiththeproperbacteria.

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You may be

able to

lengthen the

effects of

quick-release

fertilizers by

making smaller

applications

more often,

instead of

applying the

entire

recommended

amount at

one time.

A soil test ...

prevents the

unnecessary

expense, effort,

and possible

contamination

of the soil

caused by

applying

fertilizers when

they are not

needed.

Cover Crop Planting Guidelines

• Preparethesoilasyouwouldifplantingvegetables.Legumes will produce the nitrogen they need, butnon-legumecropswillneedtohavenitrogenfertilizer(1to1-1/2poundsofactualnitrogenper1000squarefeet)addedtothesoiltoproducemaximumyieldsoforganicmatter.

• Inoculatelegumeseedsbymoisteningthem,drainingtheexcesswater,addingtheinoculantpowder,andmixingwell.

• Broadcast the seedevenly.Seeding rates listed inthetableonpages4and5areminimumrates.Twotofourtimestheratemaybeusedtoassureagoodstand.

• Coverseedwithathinlayerofsoilbyrakingitinorgo-ingovertheareawitharototillersetveryshallow.

• Keep the area moist until seedlings emerge. Lightwateringmaybeneededtwiceaday,ormore,inhotweather.

• Mow and harvest cover crops before they flower and produceseeds,andtillunderatleast10daystotwoweeksbeforeplantinggardencrops.

Fertilizers Fertilizersareusedtopreventorovercomenutrientstressin plants. Fertilizers usually contain one or more of threeimportantelements—nitrogen,phosphorus,andpotassium.Fertilizersmayalsosupplyotherelementsessentialforthegrowthofhealthyplants.

Slow- vs. Quick-Release Nitrogenisavailableinslow-releaseandquick-releaseforms. Slow-release means that the nitrogen does not dis-solve inwater.Thenitrogenmustbebrokendownbysoilmicrobesandbysoilchemicalstobeinaformthatplants

6436-56436-4

HairyVetch(Vicia villosa)

AustrianWinterPeas(Pisum sativum variety

arvense)

WinterRye(Secale cereale)

WinterWheat(Triticumspecies)

CrimsonClover(Trifolium incarnatum)

RedClover(Trifolium pratense)

WhiteClover(Trifolium repens)

Yellow-BlossomSweetClover

(Melilotus officinalis)

ArrowleafClover(Trifolium vesiculosum)

BallClover(Trifolium nigrescens)

BirdsfootTrefoil(Lotus corniculata)

FavaBean(Vicia faba)

GardenPea(Pisum sativumvarieties)

Barley(Hordeum vulgare)

Minimum Seeding

Rate (per 100 sq. ft.)

Moderate

Vigorous,quick-

growing

Fast

Moderate

Moderate

Slow

Slow

Fast

Slowerthanwinterrye;seedearlier

infall.

Cover Crop(legume crops are

shaded)

Growth Rate

Growing Conditions

Comments

1.5oz.

3.0oz.

3.5oz.

3.5oz.

1.5oz.

2.0oz.

2.0oz.

4.0oz.

4.5oz.

2.0oz.

3.5oz.

3.5oz.

3.5oz.

4.5oz.

Verywinter-hardy

Lesshardythanhairyvetch;maynotbe

hardyenoughforthePanhandle

Easilyestablishedonjustaboutanytype

ofsoil

Slightlylesscold-hardythanwinterrye

Shadetolerant;seedinwarmweatherto

getadequategrowthbeforewinter

Needswell-drainedsoil;shade-anddrought-tolerant

Low-growing;shade-anddrought-tolerant;

tolerateswetsoilbetterthanmost

legumes

Lowshadetolerance;somedroughtand

claytolerance

Needswell-drainedsoilsandamplephos-

phorus

Loamtoclaysoils;toleratespoor

drainage

Needswell-drainedsoil

Moistsoil;hardytoabout10°F

Preferscoolandmoistsoil;tolerates

lightfrost.

Nottolerantofsandy,acidsoils.

May be invasive; forms a dense mat. Difficult to till underifover-mature;controlheightbymovingwhencropgetsmorethan6incheshigh.

Formsadensemat;generallyeasiertotillunderthanhairyvetch;cutbacksucculentvines.

Canbeplantedlate infall,butsowat least4weeksbefore first killing frost so it has time to fully cover soil; will survivewinterandputonnewgrowth inspring.Extensive root system prevents erosion and addsorganicmattertosoil.

Produceslessorganicmatterthanwinterryebutstillworks fine; can become a weed if not tilled under well.

Sometimes grown as an ornamental for its beautifulbloom;goodyieldoforganicmatter;strongrootsystemcanopenthesoil.

Uprightgrowthhabit; susceptible to root andcrowndiseases;inOklahoma,isbestadaptedtonortheasternpartofthestate.

AlsocalledLadino;consideredtaller-growingandmoreproductivethanthecommon“whitedutch”cloverthatofteninvadeslawns;goodtointerplantamonggardencrops.

Goodtoloosencompactedsoils.

Low-growing;goodtointerplantwithvegetables;formsdensemat.

Grows upright at first, but tends to lie over as it ma-tures.

Canbeeatenfreshordried;strong,deeprootsystemcanopenthesoil;excellentyieldoforganicmatter.

Ediblepeas.

Excellentyieldoforganicmatter.

Some Recommended Garden Cover CropsCool Season

Ryegrass(Loliumspecies)

PurpleVetch(Vicia benghalensis)

Common/WhiteVetch(Vicia sativa)

Alfalfa(Medicago sativa)

Oats(Avena sativa)

1.5oz.

8.0oz.

8.0oz.

2.0oz.

5.0oz.

Quick-growing.

Fast.

Fast.

Slow.

Fast,butlessvigorousthanwinter

rye.

Cold-tolerant,butnotwinter-hardy.

Toleratesacidsoils.

Won’tgrowninwetsoils;toleratesdrought,butnot

shade.

Lesshardy,moretolerantofwetsoils

thanbarley;toleratesonlylightfreezes.

Survivesonlyuntilheavywinter freeze,butrootsandwiltedtopsstillholdandprotectsoil.

Goodwinter-killmulchinareaswithhardfrost;notascold-hardyashairyvetch;canbeinvasiveandcanclimbtreesandshrubs.

Less cold-hardy than hairy vetch, but better fallgrowth.

Deep rootsystem loosenscompactedsoils.Togrowalfalfaasawinter-killmulch,chooseavarietyforgardenuseifseedisavailable,becauseitiseasiertokillthanmostalfalfa.Foracontinuousgroundcover,usenon-dormantvarieties,whicharemorecold-tolerant.

InmuchofU.S.,canbecountedontowinter-kill,form-ingamulchthatiseasytoplowunderinspring;goodchoiceforplotsthatwillgettheearlycrops.

Warm Season

Cowpea/SouthernPea(Vigna unguiculata)

MungBean(Vigna radiata)

Buckwheat(Fagopyrum esculentum)

HybridSudangrass/Hay-grazer

(Sorghum bicolor)

AzukiBean(Vigna angularis)

Soybean(Glycine max)

Mustard(Brassicaspecies)

Alfalfa(Medicago sativa)

3.5oz.

3.5oz.

3.0oz.

1.5oz.

5.0oz.

3.2oz.

0.5oz.

2.0oz.

Slowtoestablish,thenfast-growing.

Veryfast;canbe

turnedunderafteronly3-to40days.

Veryfastandtall(6to8

ft.).

Slow.

Warmsoil;moderatelyshade-tolerant;veryheat-

tolerant.

Quiteheat-tolerant;growswellonmost

soils,especiallywarm,sandyloam.

Sensitivetofreez-ingandheat;can

beseededanytimeduringgrowingsea-sonupto10weeksbefore the first light

frost;tolerantofpoorsoils.

Toleratesheatandhumiditywell;needs

gooddrainage.

Warmsoil;shade-tolerant.

Needsfertilesoil,gooddrainage,andregularmoisture;not

frost-tolerant.

Growsinawidevarietyofsoils,

includingpathwaysandothercompactedground;germinates

wellincool,wetsoils.

Won’tgrowinwetsoils;notshade-

tolerant,buthighlydrought-tolerant.

Edible beans; can underplant in corn, orchards, orvineyards.

Somewhateasiertotillunderthancowpeas,butseedmay be difficult to find.

Excellentforsmotheringweeds;produceslotsoforganicmatterthatbreaksdowneasily;goodgreenmanurecropwhenplotisavailableforonlyafewweeks.

Mowperiodicallytocontrolheight;suppressesweedsandBermudagrassiflefttogrowtall.

Ediblebeans;goodweedcompetitionifsowndensely.

Gardenvarietiesproduceediblebeans;stemsandrootsystems are tough – use a tiller when working themintothesoil.

Agriculturalvarietiesmayprovidemoreorganicmatterandhavedeeperroots,butgardenvarietiesaremilderin flavor.

Aperennial;canbegrownyear-round(seealfalfaincoolseasonsection).

6436-6

canuse.Slow-releasefertilizers,sincetheydonotleachquickly,cansupplynutrientstoplantsforalongerperiodthan quick-release forms. The slowreleaseratemakesfertilizerlesslikelyto injure plant roots if used in largeamounts.Butslow-releasefertilizersmaynotreleasenutrientsfastenoughto correct a deficiency causing poor plantgrowth. Quick-release fertilizers easilydissolve in water. Nitrogen tends toleachandberemovedfromtherootzoneofthecrop,increasingtheriskofnitratepollutionofgroundwaterre-sources.Youmaybeabletolengthentheeffectsofquick-releasefertilizersbymakingsmallerapplicationsmoreoften, insteadofapplying theentirerecommendedamountatonce. Most“organic”fertilizersareinaslow-releaseform.The“inorganic”or

man-madefertilizersareavailableinbothslow-andquick-releaseformulations.

Organic vs. Man-Made Plantsdonotknowthedifferencebetweenorganicandman-made fertilizers. The organic fertilizer materials arebrokendownbysoilorganismsintowater-solublematerialsidenticaltothoseintheman-madefertilizers. Gardenersmustconsiderseveralfactorswhenchoosingafertilizer:

• costperpoundoftheactualnutrients;• rateofrelease;• easeofapplication;• numberofapplicationsrequired;• safetytoplants,especiallyseedlings;and• hazardstotheenvironment.

Application Rates Onceyouhavechosenafertilizer,youmustdecidehowmuchtoapply. Recommendationsareusuallybasedonthesizeofthegardenortheareawheretheapplicationistobemade.Ifyourgardenissquareorrectangular,multiplythelengthbythewidthtodeterminethenumberofsquarefeet.Forodd-shapedgardens,itisofteneasiertovisualizearectanglethatapproximatestheareaofyourgardenandestimateitssize. Recommendedquantitiesmaybemeasuredinpoundsofthefertilizerper1,000squarefeet,poundsper100squarefeet,orpoundsperacre. Thiscancauseconfusionwhengardenersonlywanttofertilizeasmallplotorsinglerow.Recommendationsmayalsocallfortheamountof“actual”purenitrogen,orothernutrient,inthefertilizer.Thismakescalculationsmorecon-fusing,becausenofertilizer,whetherorganicorman-made,contains100percentofthenutrientneeded. Thefollowingformulacanbeusedtodetermineapplica-tionquantity:

(therecommendedquantityperunitarea)÷

(percentageofthepureelementinyourfertilizer÷100)X

(sq.ft.ofyourgarden)=

quantityforyourgarden

Example:Iftherecommendedquantityis2poundsofactualnitrogenper1,000feet,usinga20-10-10fertilizer(thefirst number, 20, means that the fertilizer contains 20 percent nitrogen),andyourgardenis500squarefeet:

(2lbs./1000sq.ft.)÷

(20/100)X(500sq.ft.)=

5lbs.ofthefertilizerforyourgarden

Oneoftheproblemswithorganicfertilizersisthattheyoftencontainonlysmallamountsofnutrients.Forexample,only7percentofcottonseedmealisnitrogen.Ifasoiltestrecommended2poundsofactualnitrogenper1,000squarefeetforyourgarden,andyouwantedtousecottonseedmealasyourorganicfertilizer,youwouldneed:

(2lbs./1000sq.ft.)÷

[(7/100)X500sq.ft.]=

14.29lbs.

orabout14.3Ibs.ofcottonseedmealfora500-sq.ft.garden.

Depending on the type of fertilizer you choose, youcouldendupneedingverylargeamountsofthefertilizertosupply the required nutrients, eventruckloads,insomeinstances.Insuchacase,youmayprefertomakesplitapplications—applyonlyaportionofthe fertilizer initially,and laterapplymore. The chart on page 7 providesinformationontheamount,byweight,ofnitrogen,phosphate,andpotashinvariousorganicmaterials.Thesenum-berscorrespondtothenumbersfoundonfertilizertags.Thelastcolumnonthecharttellsthespeedatwhichthenutrientsarebrokendowntobecomeavailableforplantuse.Theseanalysesareaverages.Theexactamountofnutrientsinthesematerialsmayvarydependingonthesource,formulation,andtradename. Thelabelsoncommercially-soldorganicfertilizers,in-cludingfertilizersinthelistonthepreviouspage,oftendonotspecifyapplicationrates.Thiscanbeaproblemindeciding

... you could

end up

needing very

large amounts

of the

fertilizer to

supply the

required

nutrients ... In

such a case,

you may

prefer to

make split

applications ...

It is

recommended

that organic

gardeners use

a combination

of fertilizer

materials, not

just one kind

of fertilizer.

6436-7

howmuchofthefertilizertoapplytoyourgarden.Lookonthelabelofasimilarfertilizerthatdoeslistapplicationrates.You will need to know the rate needed of the first fertilizer andthepercentageofthenutrient(s)inbothfertilizers.Usethe followingformula todeterminetheapplicationrate forthesecondfertilizer:

Rateof#1X

Percentageof#1÷

Percentageof#2=

Rateof#2

Itisrecommendedthatorganicgardenersuseacom-binationoffertilizermaterials,notjustonekindoffertilizer.Avarietyofmaterialsmayprovideabetterbalanceofnutrientsforplants.

Soil Testing Asoil test isavaluabletool todeterminepHandthequantityofnutrientsplantsneed.Thetestalsopreventstheunnecessary expense, effort, and possible contamination

ofthesoilcausedbyapplyingfertilizerswhentheyarenotneeded.Samplesshouldbetakeneverytwotothreeyears.OSUsoilsamplebagsandinstructionsforgettingagoodsample are available at local county extension offices. The extensionagentwillsendthesampletotheOSUsoiltestinglaboratory.Recommendationswillbemadeonthetypesandamountsofplantnutrients thatneed tobeadded toyourgardensoil.

Other Earth-Kind Techniques HealthygardensoilisonlyonecomponentofEarth-KindGardening. Other Earth-Kind techniques include cultural,mechanical,botanical,andbiologicalpestcontrolmethods.EachofthemethodsareexplainedinOSUExtensionServicefactsheets.

OtherOSUpublicationsrelatedtohealthygardensoils:

HLA-6005MulchingGardenSoilsHLA-6007ImprovingGardenSoilFertilityHLA-6014MakingaCompostPileHLA-6033RaisedBedGardeningL-251RecyclingYardWaste(“Don’tBagIt”series)L-252LeafComposting(“Don’tBagIt”series)

Approximate Organic Fertilizer Analyses

% % % % % %Material Nitrogen Phosphate Potash Availability Material Nitrogen Phosphate Potash Availability

BasicSlag – 8-11 – slow-medium Kelp(Seaweed) 1.7 0.8 5 slowBloodMeal 15 1.3 0.7 slow Leaves 0.9 0.2 0.3 slowBoneMeal 4 21 0.02 slow Manure(Cattle) 2 1 2 mediumCocoaShellDust 1 1.5 2.7 slow Manure(Horse) 0.4 0.2 0.3 mediumCoffeeGrounds 2 0.04 0.07 slow-medium Manure(Pig) 0.5 0.3 0.5 mediumCompost (Unfortified) 2.5 0.08 1.5 slow Manure (Poultry) 3-5 2-3 1-2 mediumColloidalPhosphate – 18-24 – slow Manure(Sheep) 0.6 0.3 0.2 mediumCottonseedMeal 7 1.3 1.2 slow Marl – 2 4.5 veryslowDriedBlood 12-15 3 – medium-fast Milorganite(Dry) 5 3 2 mediumFishEmulsion 5 – – medium MushroomCompost 0.5 60 1 slowFishMeal 8 7 _ slow PeanutShells 3.6 – – slowFishScraps 7.8 13 3.8 slow Peat/Muck 2 0.5 0.8 veryslowGraniteDust – – 5 slow PhosplateRock – 30-32 – slowGrassClippings 1 – 2 slow RedClover(Fresh) 2.1 0.5 2 slowGreensand – 1.5 5 slow Sawdust 4 2 4 veryslowGuano 12 – – medium SoybeanMeal 6.7 1.6 2.3 slow-mediumHay(Mix) 1.1 0.4 1 slow Tankage 8 20 – mediumHay(Alfalfa) 2.5 0.5 2.1 medium WoodAshes – 1-2 3-8 fastHoofMeal/HornDust 12.5 1.8 – slow

6436-8

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• Itisnotaregulatoryagency,butitdoesinformpeople of regulations and of their options inmeetingthem.

• Localprogramsaredevelopedandcarriedoutinfullrecognitionofnationalproblemsandgoals.

• The Extension staff educates people throughpersonal contacts, meetings, demonstrations,andthemassmedia.

• Extension has the built-in flexibility to adjust its programsandsubjectmattertomeetnewneeds.ActivitiesshiftfromyeartoyearascitizengroupsandExtensionworkersclose to theproblemsadvisechanges.

TheCooperativeExtensionService is the largest,mostsuccessfulinformaleducationalorganizationintheworld.Itisanationwidesystemfundedandguidedbyapartnershipoffederal,state,andlocalgovernmentsthatdeliversinformationtohelppeoplehelp themselves throughthe land-grantuniversitysystem.

Extension carries out programs in the broadcategories of agriculture, natural resources andenvironment; family and consumer sciences; 4-Hand other youth; and community resource devel-opment. Extension staff members live and workamongthepeopletheyservetohelpstimulateandeducate Americans to plan ahead and cope withtheirproblems.

SomecharacteristicsoftheCooperativeExtensionsystemare:

• The federal, state, and local governmentscooperatively share in its financial support and programdirection.

• Itisadministeredbytheland-grantuniversityasdesignatedbythestatelegislaturethroughanExtensiondirector.

• Extensionprogramsarenonpolitical,objective,andresearch-basedinformation.

Thefollowingreviewerscontributedtothispublication:JimCoe,ExtensionAgAgentandCED,ComancheCounty;JimCriswell,AssociateProfessor/PesticideCoordinator,OSUEntomologyDept.;GerritCuperus,Professor/ExtensionIPMSpecialist,OSUEntomologyDept.;TedEvicks,ExtensionAgAgentandCED,PittsburgCounty;BetsyHudgins,AssistantExtensionSpecial-ist,OSUPlantPathologyDept.;GordonJohnson,Professor/ExtensionSoilSpecialist,OSUAgronomyDept.;CathyKoelsch,Extension IPM Agent, Oklahoma County Extension Office; Jay Prater, Senior Agriculturist, Alfalfa, OSU Agronomy Dept.; Ron Robinson, Extension Ag Agent and CED, Garfield County; Leslie Roye, Extension Ag Agent, Wagoner County; Al Sutherland, Area Extension Horticulture Specialist, Chickasha Area Office.

OklahomaStateUniversity,incompliancewithTitleVIandVIIoftheCivilRightsActof1964,ExecutiveOrder11246asamended,TitleIXoftheEducationAmendmentsof1972,AmericanswithDisabilitiesActof1990,andotherfederallawsandregulations,doesnotdiscriminateonthebasisofrace,color,nationalorigin,gender,age,religion,disability,orstatusasaveteraninany of its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.

IssuedinfurtheranceofCooperativeExtensionwork,actsofMay8andJune30,1914,incooperationwiththeU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture,RobertE.Whitson,DirectorofCooperativeExtensionService,OklahomaStateUniversity,Stillwater,Oklahoma.ThispublicationisprintedandissuedbyOklahomaStateUniversityasauthorizedbytheVicePresident,Dean,andDirectoroftheDivisionofAgriculturalSciencesandNaturalResourcesandhasbeenpreparedanddistributedatacostof42centspercopy.0604