Making the Amendment Mix - October 10, 2019 @goldenoakfarm

Dolomitic lime to start

The forecast was rain for 11AM, so when my helper friend showed up on Thursday morning, we got right out there to make up the last garden amendment mix. It would be for the Small garden, to put down before we did the garlic.

Last time we made it, instead of pouring from one tote to another, he wanted to try mixing it in a wheelbarrow. It worked well, so we used that method again.

For the heavier ones I use an old kitchen scale. For the micro nutrients, I use a tiny digital scale that will measure to .001. (That’s in the plastic box.)

I use a formula I’ve worked up from a soil test. Posts about this are:

Reading a Soil Test Part 1
How to Read a Soil Test Part II
How to Read a Soil Test Part III – Building the Amendment Mix
Taking a Soil Test

Some of the micro nutrients

Black is bloodmeal for nitrogen. Gray is Planters II for silicon. Dolomitic lime for calcium, ag sulfur for sulfur, borax for boron, manganese, cobalt is the pink one, molybdenum, selenium, kelp, molasses is the brown one, and activated charcoal went into this mix.

The finished product, ready to apply. It is stored in a labeled 30 gallon tote. I loaded a small bucket full and went out to put some on the cleared area. But I discovered it partially covered in oak leaves, so I didn’t put it down. I’d lose too much when I took the oak leaves out. (Too much acid in the leaves.)

I decided to clean out the Big rose, hibiscus and mountain laurel along the Small garden fence instead. Once that was done my intern put down some of the amendment I’d made earlier. As they border the Small garden, their needs can’t be that much different. Then we mulched the plants.