Fallowing Garden Soil?

[Bear1978]

Hello all my fellow BYC/garden folk!

So I’ve had a small 10x20 garden in the same spot for the past 4 years..

It’s done very well in the past, but this year it has not done good at all.. I prepped the soil using some MiracleGro soil compost mix as well as some organic matter which I had covering the garden over the winter. I’ve watered on a regular basis as well as fertilized. But nothing is really producing, not even my peppers or tomatoes. My cucumbers and zucchini plants I’ve already pulled up as they were not doing anything at all but taking up space in the garden.

I live in central Arkansas so it’s been a hot summer as usual but the season started out wetter and a little cooler than the past few years so I’m not sure if that had something to do with it or not?

But my question is that should I let my garden area rest and go fallow over next year to see if that helps with the production of my next garden? Has anyone practiced this method before with a small garden such as this? Thanks!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Query:
Have you been planting the same crops again and again in that garden space, or rotating crops with other garden spaces?

Yes, you can fallow over, its good for fixing some deficiencies, particularly if you are using slower release amendments like manure and compost (as opposed to quick commercial chemical fertilizers like MG).

Recommend. Pick up the phone, call your local USDA Extension office. Find out how they are currently open (chances are, you can't just walk in due to COVID), and see if they are currently doing soil sampling. Assuming you can drop it off, I'd pull a sample or two from your garden soil, have it tested. Even if it costs you something, what it will save you in properly amending your soil (instead of just guessing) and better productivity next year *should* pay for itself.

 

[MarkJr]

I’ve found that organic matter and steer manure work wonders for slow release fertilizer.

I have planted alfalfa and tilled under with good results too. Especially combined with adding steer manure.

 

[Bear1978]

Query:
Have you been planting the same crops again and again in that garden space, or rotating crops with other garden spaces?

Yes, you can fallow over, its good for fixing some deficiencies, particularly if you are using slower release amendments like manure and compost (as opposed to quick commercial chemical fertilizers like MG).

Recommend. Pick up the phone, call your local USDA Extension office. Find out how they are currently open (chances are, you can't just walk in due to COVID), and see if they are currently doing soil sampling. Assuming you can drop it off, I'd pull a sample or two from your garden soil, have it tested. Even if it costs you something, what it will save you in properly amending your soil (instead of just guessing) and better productivity next year *should* pay for itself.

Thanks!

I usually plant the same things each year and only have one garden area at my disposal.

The only thing I didn’t do this year before planting was till my garden up. So I may do that next year if I do not decide to let it go fallow. And yes, I may reach out to them and have a soil sample taken prior to my next garden to see what I need to do.
Thanks!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Link to Extension Office Locator - wasn't sure what county you resided in. Did check the AR USDA Home Page, like Florida, phone calls and emails only - but my local has a box to drop off samples if you pre-arrange with them.

 

[Bear1978]

I’ve found that organic matter and steer manure work wonders for slow release fertilizer.

I have planted alfalfa and tilled under with good results too. Especially combined with adding steer manure.

Yes! I’ll be using my chicken poop from this year as a soil additive as well.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I’ve found that organic matter and steer manure work wonders for slow release fertilizer.

I have planted alfalfa and tilled under with good results too. Especially combined with adding steer manure.

Binding Nitrogen. Its a good idea, assuming that's the deficiency, and its not being corrected by the fertilizer he is using. I use a winter cover, myself, but have MANY more sq ft to concern myself with. 200 sq ft for his garden is hardly a handful of seed.

@Bear1978 Any farmer friends nearby you might buy a pound or two of winter cover off of?

 

[Bear1978]

Binding Nitrogen. Its a good idea, assuming that's the deficiency, and its not being corrected by the fertilizer he is using. I use a winter cover, myself, but have MANY more sq ft to concern myself with. 200 sq ft for his garden is hardly a handful of seed.

@Bear1978 Any farmer friends nearby you might buy a pound or two of winter cover off of?

What kind of winter cover would you suggest?

 

[MarkJr]

Yes! I’ll be using my chicken poop from this year as a soil additive as well.

Careful with chicken poop. Little goes a very long way. It’s easier to deal with if one uses last years chicken droppings that was piled and turned with compost

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Alfalfa is great, any legume will do. I'm using a commercial mix, but I'm covering acres and improving sandy clay loam soil at the same time - my mix is mostly clover, plus winter/field peas, hairy vetch, daikon, common radish, some mustards and some grains. Its very forgiving of soil variations, due to the variety - which isn't something you need to concern yourself with, but is of major importance to me. The chickens seem to enjoy it, so will the goats when I finally have some.

$10 will get you a 1/2lb at Amazon, $15 will get a full pound of a similar mix. I buy in 50# bags at a MUCH better price point per pound - those prices are like trying to plant commercially with those seed packets from the big box stores.

Locally, most of the farmers use rapeseed in their cotton fields, which is a brassica (a "mustard") - that would work for you too, just make sure you till it in before it goes to seed.

and of course, Alfalfa is spectacular.

Basically, whatever you can get that's cheap. Even annual winter rye, if you are desperate and there are no alternatives.