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Mineral Virginia

Those of us in Virginia are suffering from all the rain we had. Most of my premium seeds are yellowing, throwing weird elongated mains with stumpy secondaries etc. I have some Dill 575's that are doing ok and planted an acre of Aspens last week I got from him that took off like rockets

Question is what do we do at this stage about the sodden soil, if anything? It’s not really marshy or anything, but I believe there is simply too much moisture in the ground.

If there isn't anything we can do this season, what are preventive measures for next?

All of my premiums are aborting almost as soon as the female develops, like less than pea-size!

7/11/2003 3:15:27 PM

[email protected]

Some of us debated the use of Magnesium &/or Calcium Peroxides as soil oxygenating agents back in the winter. I would have liked to see someone try them, especially now. But at $20/Lb for those lousy little hydroponic mail order offerings I think most everyone bailed on the idea. I forget the rate now but it was high enough to make this a cost prohibitive practice & we couldn't get FMC to sell us the stuff in bulk.

Check my diary for the early spring addition of Soil Master calcined clay. Like organic matter, it opens heavy soils & helps them to breath. But unlike organic matter, it lasts forever!

Cost was $360.00/ton which would be enough for a 1000 sq ft all clay patch or a 2000 sq ft patch with more typical soil.

Maybe next year?

Steve

7/11/2003 4:04:53 PM

Nova Scotia

maybe install a drainage system in gor next year?.

7/11/2003 4:45:44 PM

Nova Scotia

maybe install a drainage system in ground for next year?.

7/11/2003 4:46:23 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Or raised beds. Where ever you see standing water after a rain...that most likely is the low spot with the worst drainage...consider that the bottom and build 18 inch beds above that...NJ Landfill

7/11/2003 4:58:44 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I'm having the same problem with the rain, over 4" average per week for the last 3 weeks. I added excessive amounts of gypsum over the winter to loosen things up, and treated some plants with Trichoderma fungi, aka: Rootshield, and a few without. The Rootshield plants are fairing much better, thick stumps,vines and full leaves. The untreated plants are definitely not doing as well...long, gangly vines with few leaves, double back mains, mutant males, etc.
The untreated are in a different patch and that may be a cause, but that patch is on a slope with pretty good drainage.
Go figure..

7/11/2003 8:42:27 PM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

The only thing I read about this as solution is irrigate(yes, even more, despite the rain) with water with 0.2% oxigen peroxide diluted. It seems to help to carry oxigen to the roots. I've posted once about a web page which speaks on that, I don't remember now the address, but you could look for it.

Good luck............Don

7/12/2003 7:42:40 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

I had hoped to use H2O2 this year but it's cost was just a bit too prohibitive.

7/12/2003 10:19:44 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Sure would be Kyle...major ingredient on zerotol...27% h2o2...even though dilution rates are low cost would be considerable.

7/12/2003 11:12:16 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

If you guys are lookng for a cheap source of Hydrogen Peroxide. Look in your yellow pages for a beauty supply store. My wife gets the 40% solution for around $12.00 a gallon. At 2 ounces per gallon diluted this can go a long way.

7/12/2003 11:59:44 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

35% solution was to cost me $27 from my hairdresser...that just doesn't sound right now does it?

7/13/2003 9:38:53 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

per gallon

7/13/2003 9:39:04 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

That is because she charges a 200% mark up kyle. Shannon

7/13/2003 9:46:32 PM