gardening in sandy soil

[chic rustler]

this was my corn plot. seems the only thing that didn't get over fertilized was the corn. I layered 4 inches of grass clippings, some aged rabbit manure, and 4 inches of woodchips/shredded leaves. I hope to fill the entire space with black eyed peas soon for fall. they say it's a good follow up to corn, and frankly I could use all the dry beans I can get.

 

[chic rustler]

Howdy! Yup, we have been commiserating on our beach sand that masquerades as soil, over on SS. You are on the right track, it takes lots of organic material and compost. I'm on my 3rd year and this year is better than the previous two. If all I had to do was tend to the garden, then it would probably be a lot better, but we bought 8 acres with a double wide and nothing else. We have worked our tails off making this place into our little farm.

All around us is red dirt, you know the rusty red iron ore dirt that makes white horses look orange! Right across the road is red dirt, but we and several of our neighbors have sand. Around here they call it sugar sand, it is fine and white like sugar. With no humus in the soil, the sand heats up under the searing hot sun, roots wither and the plant dies. The more compost you can add, the better. It will take some time, but just look at the beautiful garden you have! You have already done outstanding. It can only get better.

TEG is where you will learn more about the different varieties of vegetables. We get into some great discussions as we laud or lament what tomato, okra,corn or cabbage variety we planted. TEG is a lot of fun, because of the great people here! So glad you decided to join us.

my sand looks like beach sand when it's dry. under the rabbit cages the soil is dark and rich after 6 months. I hope to get the garden to that point one day

 

[baymule]

When our sand is dry, it blows like a dust storm. We wood chip mulched the entire area around the barn and in the barn because we have a 30 year old Tennessee Walker mare that has lung issues. In the blowing dust, the poor thing coughed so hard, she could hardly catch her breath. This year has been much easier on her, the wood chips hold down the dust. My car gets a fine film of sand dust on it and I have to hit it with the water hose. And we are trying to improve pastures--wish us luck! I call them pastures, but they are really fenced areas with trees, brush, briars and bare spots where grass should be growing.

 

[canesisters]

my sand looks like beach sand when it's dry. under the rabbit cages the soil is dark and rich after 6 months. I hope to get the garden to that point one day

How much trouble would it be to make 'rabbit tractors' so they can fertilize directly onto your garden this winter??

 

[Nyboy]

I use wire dog crates with pan removed, move them to new spot after couples of days

 

[chic rustler]

How much trouble would it be to make 'rabbit tractors' so they can fertilize directly onto your garden this winter??

rabbit tractors are on the to do list! great idea

 

[baymule]

I am almost done with my chicken tractors. Made from scraps, reject lumber, hardware cloth from Craigslist and a bucket of deck stain we've been using as a door stop for over a year.

 

[baymule]

This is my soil. Pure sand.

 

[seedcorn]

Your sand makes mine look like a loam..... impressed you can grow anything in that.

 

[chic rustler]

This is my soil. Pure sand.

View attachment 20996

that's what mine looks like when it's dry as well.


let's see a pic after all the work you have done.