fertilizer for garden

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molinebob

Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

So I just got the garden Planted last night, calling for it to freeze tonight, so I get to cover all the plants....yay....but anyway on to the question, I just worked up this spot for the garden, about 75 yards long and 30 yards wide, I dont want to use manure on it for fertilizer, the last garden I did that too the thissels and weeds were so thick i couldnt stand it anymore so therefore thats why I decided on a new one...what is a good fertilizer to use on it that can either be broadcast on it with a walk behind broadcaster or sprayed on it with a pull behind sprayer for the four wheeler? Thanks in advance for all the help..Later...Bob

 

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Greg1959

Well-known Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

My plan is kinda like what you are encountering. Planting my garden and have to deal with cockel-burrs and weeds. This year I am going to till up another garden plot and spray it with herbicide. Hopefully, killing all weeds. Next year, I will plant new garden and spray the one fromthis year with herbicide. So by year after next, I hope t have two plots ready for planting.

 

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Mark-Mi

Well-known Member

Location

S.E. Mi.

• May 29, 2012

• #1

Fighting weeds is a never ending battle.

 

showcrop

Well-known Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

So if manure and or any mulch other than straw is what brings in the weeds, how is it that I can plow down the sod in a field, put only commercial fertilizer on it, seed it down to an alfalfa and grass mix, and in two weeks I have every species of weed known to mankind. It appears to me that weed seed coming from manure or grass mulch is an old wives tale. The seeds are everywhere.

 

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Fergienewbee

Well-known Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

Aeren't you a might late for fertilizer if the garden is all planted? Fert should go down first, except for urea. Apply when rain is forecast.

Larry

 

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evilboweivel

Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

put all your manure in a pile
water it and turn it
then let it sit and heat up real hot killing the seeds
it will turn it to compost slowly
plow up what you want to plant in the fall and let the freeze thaw loosen it up
then late march ealy april disk it 3 to 3 1/2 inches deep, follow up once a week working it a 1/4 less each time never let the weeds get over 1" tall, until you are ready to plant. still will have to cultivate or hoe some
you want to germinate the weed seeds and then kill the weeds WITHOUT BRINGING UP MORE WEED SEEDS.
GOOD LUCK
Ron

 

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gtractorfan

Well-known Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

My thought is use 12-12-12 but make sure it's not "weed and feed". I just sidedressed most of my plants this evening with triple 12. (pictures in the above post)

 

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notjustair

Well-known Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

I have a garden about that size and have the entire thing mulched with straw. Only bare spots are where the plants come through. In the fall I rake it into a pile and till the garden. In the spring I reuse what I can, till in the bad, and add new straw. I pulled weeds today and only had a handful for the chickens. I don't have to water often to boot. It takes lots of straw, but I have lots (and it's fairly cheap).

 

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molinebob

Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

Yeah I'm sure I'm late but not really thinking bout this year, more for next spring, when I work it up again...Just trying to get away from the manure...Bob

 

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Wheat Farmer

Well-known Member

• May 29, 2012

• #1

Try and find an Alpaca place for manure. No weeds. Even with 270 animals I can't keep up with the demand. Big gardens want it. I could even send you a pamphlet on Alpaca Beans.

 

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DanR

Member

• May 30, 2012

• #1

The weeds can be somewhat controlled with a herbicide but first you need a specific target. Anyone who recommends a fertilizer without a soil test ain't shootin straight.

 

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rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

• May 30, 2012

• #1

(quoted from post at 18:35:27 05/29/12) My thought is use 12-12-12 but make sure it's not "weed and feed". I just sidedressed most of my plants this evening with triple 12. (pictures in the above post)

Click to expand...

Yes, 12-12-12 is what I use. Ideally it would be applied and worked into the soil before planting, but applying it after planting works very good also. Don't be stingy with it.

You also need to apply a good yard and garden soil insecticide. I prefer the granular. Broadcast it liberally.

 

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LazyWP

Member

• May 30, 2012

• #1

If you use poultry litter, or hog manure, you won't have near the problem with weeds. Other option is to compost cattle manure, but like others have said, you still ought to have a soil test done. You may not need anything.

 

glennster

Well-known Member

• May 30, 2012

• #1

i use 12-12-12 in the seed trench when planting. for tomatoes, add about 3 tablespoons of epsom salts in the ground before putting the plant in. (maters like the sulphur and magnesium) i have been adding grass clippings to the the rows to keep the weeds down. a layer about 3-4 inches thick holds the moisture good and really helps with weed control.

 

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El Toro

Well-known Member

• May 30, 2012

• #1

You should have the ph checked as you may need some lime. I never broadcast fertilizer over the whole garden. I use liquid fertilizer either Rapid Gro or Miracle Gro on sweet corn, beans, peppers and tomatoes. I pour it in with the plants when planting them and I pour it on top of the bean and corn seed after I have them planted just before covering the seed. I use to side dress the corn after it was up using granulated fertilizer. Hal

 

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INCase

Well-known Member

• May 30, 2012

• #1

Try AGGRAND, its a natural fish based and is "organic" but not "officially" since the USDA changes the rules around. THey have liquid lime and potash too. put on soil or foliar.

 

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Wesley Stephens

Member

• May 30, 2012

• #1

do a little calculating to make sure you are putting out the right amount and sling out some 10-10-10 or something similar. You can broadcast it especially if the plants aren't up yet, but if you don't have a fertilizer distributor on a tractor or a cultivator and want to get it next to the plants, you could sidedress by hand with a 5 gal. bucket. I've done that many times. I've always had good luck sidedressing with a distributor or by hand. I know it's better to use a bull-tongue and put it under the row for the first application, but I have never bought one. The thing that makes me hesitant about broadcasting fertilizer on a garden is if you are fertilizing the middles, you are putting a lot of your nutrients to the weeds, especially since most people use wide garden rows. If you have sweet corn, you may want to sidedress with a little 34% N.

 

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36 Coupe

Well-known Member

• May 31, 2012

• #1

I plowed a 4 acre field that had been in field corn for several years.It came up with white dasies,a solid cover.The seed had to be present for a long time.Louis Bromfields book Malabar Farm has some pages about weed seed found deep in the soil.They grew some of them and got plants no one could ID.

 

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36 Coupe

Well-known Member

• May 31, 2012

• #1

We use side dressing for sweet corn and potatoes.Other crops have a small amount mixed in the soil when setting out plants.Too much fertlizer will burn plant roots.Broadcast fertilizer feeds the weeds.