Gardening folks, how to revive old soil?

[scottmandue]

I built a raised garden box (16" tall and about 4'x8') for a renter about 5-10 years ago, she used it to grow vegetables.

She move out and the next renters had no interest in it.

We have tried to grow a few vegetables but they just start and die. I presume all the nutrients have leached out.

All I can think of is to throw some manure on there and mix it up but I sense there may be more to reviving the old soil.

I know we have some gardeners here so any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[vash]

i'm the angel of death to plants.

last time i bought a house with ancient raised beds..the neighbor said to put some soil in a bag and have it tested. i think she said it was free. they test ph?

i didnt. hench my trend

[Baz]

Hey Scott....your soil is probably fine - but - if you wanted to make sure - you could take a soil sample to your local extension office to have it tested. They will test for pH and soluble salts - plus maybe some other stuff - you'll have to check.

That test would help determine if the soil has anything chemically damaging to new plantings.

As far as I'm concerned, veggies are a big PITA because they are always getting attacked by stuff that can do damage.

Also another thought - can you rule out water relations as an issue?

Push come to shove and pending the soil test results - you could remove some of your old soil and add in some nice fresh planter soil from your local materials shop. The place that sells mulch, rock, sand, etc. Personally - I don't like what most consider topsoil or manure. What you want is something lighter in texture and consistency.

Hope this helps!

[drkshdw]

For our raised beds we take 4 parts of top soil (or dirt), mix in 1 part compost and 1 part aged horse manure. We do this in the fall. Once the soil is amended, we plant either rye or barley and let it grow. Before it sets seed, we mow it down with a sickle and till that into the soil. When the leaves fall in the fall (tree leaves, but not from oaks), we cover the beds with leaves and cover the bed with a black tarp. We let that sit over winter. During this time, the tarp helps to keep the leaves in place, the weed seeds out, keeps the soil warm and helps break down the leaves and cover crop. Also keeps the worms active and the squirrels out of the garden.

Come spring we take the tarps off, till what's left of the leaves in and plant. Because the tarp was on there we can plant 2-3 weeks before everyone else because the tarp keeps the soil warm. Then the next fall after the crops are done we add more manure, leaves and bagged grass clippings, cover with the tarp again and wait until the next spring.

Once a bed is good, it needs to be fed to be kept good. That's the mistake a lot of people make is they amend the soil once and think it's done for 10 years. Not the case, it needs to be done every year.

[ckelly78z]

My wife has chickens, and horses, so if you need me to send a box of ****e, say the word, I have plenty.

Basically, fall leaves, old plant material, a bit of lime, and some herbivore manure will bring back any soil, it just takes time, and patience. You may have to get some virgin soil also.

[mikehinton]

We add glacial rock dust to our planter box every year, along with the compost that we make from leftover fruits and veggies.

[Evans, Marv]

Turning and amending the soil as mentioned in the above three or four postings is great advice. Plus Costco is getting in their spring supplies which includes ten pound bags of worm castings for $11 (I think). Can't go wrong with adding some of that.

[KFC911]

Earthworms?

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Baz

Hey Scott....your soil is probably fine - but - if you wanted to make sure - you could take a soil sample to your local extension office to have it tested. They will test for pH and soluble salts - plus maybe some other stuff - you'll have to check.

That test would help determine if the soil has anything chemically damaging to new plantings.

Um, what is my "local extension office"?

Bed started out as top soil (local guy has a huge space with huge piles of dirt, mulch and manure and he mixes it with a tractor) he mostly sells to local contractors but if you show up with a pickup truck and a couple $20's he will fill up the truck. I think over the years I have tossed some manure and bags of potting soil.

Thanks again!

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by KC911

Earthworms?

Great idea!
I don't think they sell them a home depot but I can check at some of the local garden suppliers.

[john70t]

There are a couple different kinds.
The ones you have down in the south are probably more native than the ones up here.
They break down material into nutrients...but you have to have material in the soil to begin with..

https://ecosystemsontheedge.org/earthworm-invaders/
"It’s an ironic truth—the traits that make earthworms wonderful for gardens are the same ones that make them dangerous for forests. Earthworms stir up the soil, making nutrients more accessible to flowers and vegetables. But plants in forests have evolved other ways to get nutrients from the ground. When earthworms convert them into easier-to-access forms, it can favor invasive plants that later take over the understory. In the process they have also been known to endanger birds and orchids. They can be a threat to humans as well, collapsing irrigation ditches and speeding up erosion."

[Evans, Marv]

Damn! Who knew? I'll never look at an earthworm the same again.

[quicksix]

Try adding mycorrhizae, pretty cool stuff
http://r.duckduckgo.com/l/?kh=-1&uddg=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.growersgold.net%2Fwhat-is-mycorrhizae
Be careful of adding to much nitrogen in the form of fertilizer,could burn the root system.
See what you have first and go from there.
Local extension is the county ag office. up here it is UCD cooperative extension, an awesome resource for all thing grown.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Um, what is my "local extension office"?

Originally Posted by quicksix

Local extension is the county ag office. up here it is UCD cooperative extension, an awesome resource for all thing grown.

Quick Six has it:

University of California Cooperative Extension

See if they do soil samples and where the closest office is to drop it off. There may also be a local garden center who can help with this.

[Bill Douglas]

I go over the area with a shovel and turn the soil over. Then a couple of runs over it with a rotary hoe. This usually improves the soil considerably. Soil needs to be well aerated.

[wdfifteen]

Don’t throw in manure!
Have the soil tested. If someone used a lot of fertilizer it could be too acidic. For that matter you have no idea what may have gotten thrown in there. Sphagnum moss is often a culprit. Good stuff in moderation, but it has a ph of about 4. Most plants need 6.5 to 7, use too much and you acidifying your soil. You can guess forever or you can have it tested. Our commercial outfit charges $20 and it’s worth ten times that.

[vash]

earthworms are for later.

if your soil is satan's playground for plants and microbes..dumping in a pile of earthworms is a waste of time and money.

test, amend..then if the earthworms dont show up naturally, add some.

[scottmandue]

i sent an email off to the people in that link Baz posted, hopefully they will be able to test my soil and maybe recommend how to amend.

Thanks again guys!

[widebody911]

You can buy earthworm poop - cut out the middle man, so to speak

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/vermicomposting/worm-castings.htm

I've found that the manure they sell commercially really is crap - and not the good kind. Mostly wood byproduct scrap.

[Crowbob]

Amend the bed with composted manure, like 50/50 original soil and compost. You can get earthworms at the bait shop to give them a try. Worms eat organic matter of which your beds probably lack. You can get in the habit of throwing in your kitchen scraps like vegetables, rinds, etc. (no meat). Keep the bed moist.

Do not over do it with tilling-one pass. Using a shovel is even better. Over tilling breaks up the fungi that's already in it (if any) and wrecks the physical structure of the soil.

I'd bet by next year you can grow more tumatas and cluecumbers then you could ever eat.