Ambitious certified black thumb- I’m in over my head SOS pls send help

[CapricornFarm]

I can’t use manure because I want to use the bounty in my DHH inspected kitchen. The health inspector asks when he visits, so I can’t do it and move on. :/ I also can’t use my fresh uninspected farm eggs in the kitchen or sell them from a camp building.

Then add worms to your soil. Their castings are great. You wouldn't be adding manure, the worms would.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Oh, and start composting. Use kitchen scraps, leaves etc, grass clippings...once it decomposes it will be a great addition to the soil.

 

[Kusanar]

Then add worms to your soil. Their castings are great. You wouldn't be adding manure, the worms would.

This is a great idea! And worms are naturally occurring, so they have to kind of expect worms in the ground... you would just be speeding the process a bit...

Oh, also, used coffee grounds are good to add to the garden, just sprinkle them in, they add some acid and other goodies.

 

[campingshaws]

Oh, and start composting. Use kitchen scraps, leaves etc, grass clippings...once it decomposes it will be a great addition to the soil.

I’m also bad at composting. I’ve tried and it never works right. :/

This is a great idea! And worms are naturally occurring, so they have to kind of expect worms in the ground... you would just be speeding the process a bit...

Oh, also, used coffee grounds are good to add to the garden, just sprinkle them in, they add some acid and other goodies.

I have plenty of these! I used pine straw around the strawberries last year and they seemed to like it.

 

[lazy gardener]

Compost happens. Simply add high nitrogen materials in small amounts, and high carbon materials in large amounts. Layer it up, and as you build it, add enough moisture to keep it as damp as a wrung out sponge.

I can't offer much advice b/c my gardening conditions are vastly different here in Maine! However, one thing that works well everywhere is gardening under mulch. You might take a few minutes to watch the video by Paul Gautschi on Back to Eden gardening.

https://www.backtoedenfilm.com/

 

[21hens-incharge]

Coffee grounds are a slow release nitrogen. They are AWESOME.

I am curious about the no manure thing??
Commercially grown veggies get a lot of manure added hence the manure spreaders.
Composted steer manure is sold at home depot in bags as is mushroom compost. I wonder if those are also objectionable.

Definitely get a soil test done.

Wondering if there is a possibility that 2-4-D is present since nothing that roots deeply is really thriving.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Have you ever had a soil test done? That's where I would start. It sounds like you've done your research on the rest of it! Good luck to you with this years crop!

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Oops! Guess I should've read the second page of comments

 

[Kusanar]

I am curious about the no manure thing??
Commercially grown veggies get a lot of manure added hence the manure spreaders.
Composted steer manure is sold at home depot in bags as is mushroom compost. I wonder if those are also objectionable.

The no manure thing is likely due to if you water incorrectly or you get a really heavy rain, the manure and soil will splash up onto the plants. If they will be feeding the kids the veggies, especially leafy crops, I can understand the concern, it's just a salmonella lawsuit waiting to happen.

 

[21hens-incharge]

The no manure thing is likely due to if you water incorrectly or you get a really heavy rain, the manure and soil will splash up onto the plants. If they will be feeding the kids the veggies, especially leafy crops, I can understand the concern, it's just a salmonella lawsuit waiting to happen.

Just seems odd to have that restriction when the growing industries use it readily.

Weird rules.