[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Soil Preparation - Cleared Forest Land.



In article <4po44o$3k4_002@truth.teleport.com>, seneca@teleport.com (Rob) wrote:

> Folks,
>   I just got a place in rural Oregon, in the mountains between Eugene
> and the coast. From the vegetation around I assume the soil to be acid,
> rhodies grow well as do azelias and the soil has a red tinge. Soil is also
> very heavy and is still water logged even though it is elevated and
> should drain well.
>   Well, to make a long story short, next year I'd like to put in an organic
> vegetable garden. I looked into getting the likely supplements - bone
> meal, manure, some kelp for minerals, etc. - the costs seemed 
> prohibitive. 
>   Plan 2 - on which I solicit comments - till and plant soy and oats 
> real soon, the soy for N2 and green manure and the oats for nursing and bulk, 
> till under in fall, then put in winter wheat. Till under the wheat come 
> spring, apply minor corrections and go. The costs seem
> to be minimal, chiefly seed and labor. 
>   What do you think? Is this a good way to start? any other ideas on how
> to prep a soil without spending major $'s on stuff?


Do nothing until you have read the soil survey for your site.  It will
answer most of you questions.  It is available at some Extension offices,
all NRCS (formerly Soil Conservation Service) offices and quite a lot of
farmers' offices.  The OSU library has it for sure, but UO might too.

The absolutely essential first step of organic growing is to match the
crop to the site.  If you don't do that, you are simply fighting
nature--which is anathema to organic!  You may well find that the place to
grow vegetables is in the Willamette and Columbia river valleys and that
the mountains are appropriate for trees.

-- 
Thomas Bjorkman    Dept. of Horticultural Sciences   Cornell University



References: