Help me make transition to organic

[Smallaxe]

Originally Posted by MrC

When/what synthetic do you recommend in NJ?

Your climate should be similar to ours in that a fall winterizer is the most important. Going into the winter with a fertile soil will allow the plant to store up a lot more carbohydrates than an infertile soil.
Avoiding fresh N in the spring allows the plants to grow normally with a great color as it breaks dormancy. Fresh N creates rapid top growth rather than root growth and burns up the stored foods for the bagger.
Our first application is May/June, depending on how the spring is progressing. This year I put down Milorganite Mid-May.

[dishboy]

Originally Posted by Smallaxe

Your climate should be similar to ours in that a fall winterizer is the most important. Going into the winter with a fertile soil will allow the plant to store up a lot more carbohydrates than an infertile soil.
Avoiding fresh N in the spring allows the plants to grow normally with a great color as it breaks dormancy. Fresh N creates rapid top growth rather than root growth and burns up the stored foods for the bagger.
Our first application is May/June, depending on how the spring is progressing. This year I put down Milorganite Mid-May.

Having some "fresh " N available in the spring may not be a bad thing as early spring is prime time for root growth. Excessive water soluble N probably not so good of a idea. Adequate N especially for N hogs allows for thick turf while growing conditions are good and helps with turf that is susceptible to red thread & rust. I do not see excessive top growths with a early organic WIN application.

[rcblethen]

I'm with you on the milorganite, I have also used cockadooleddoo, too funny dried chicken manure, when the sun used to come out up here my nephew couldn't understand why my lawn was still green, it was the chicken manure.


I am more a trail and error guy myself, although i have a farming background, I use hydrated lime every two years, I use only organic fertilizer, We used to plow in spread cow manure, talk about concentrated nitro. Maybe one of these days I will do a soil test, maybe not, my grass is still green.

Also, I have earth worms they look happy, as happy as a worm can get.

The bickering is not much different from any other forum I have been on.



My two cents.

[Smallaxe]

Originally Posted by rcblethen

I'm with you on the milorganite, I have also used cockadooleddoo, too funny dried chicken manure, when the sun used to come out up here my nephew couldn't understand why my lawn was still green, it was the chicken manure.


I am more a trail and error guy myself, although i have a farming background, I use hydrated lime every two years, I use only organic fertilizer, We used to plow in spread cow manure, talk about concentrated nitro. Maybe one of these days I will do a soil test, maybe not, my grass is still green.

Also, I have earth worms they look happy, as happy as a worm can get.

The bickering is not much different from any other forum I have been on.



My two cents.

My background was farming as well. Plowing cow manure into the garden every spring is how it was fertilized. The bulk was spread on the next corn field in rotation.

I hated the dry, dusty ammonia stink in the chicken coop, so as a result I have never tried any chicken products, outside the Colonel's.

Fertilizer was the dessert, not the main course. Lime was added to the alfalfa fields, and when you saw the Devil's Paintbrush weed in the grassland pastures, you knew the soil was getting acid again.

Earthworms build soil structure, as well as eat the raw materials and more quickly make available nutrients.

Any of this sound familiar?

[ICT Bill]

Originally Posted by rcblethen

I'm with you on the milorganite, I have also used cockadooleddoo, too funny dried chicken manure, when the sun used to come out up here my nephew couldn't understand why my lawn was still green, it was the chicken manure.


I am more a trail and error guy myself, although i have a farming background, I use hydrated lime every two years, I use only organic fertilizer, We used to plow in spread cow manure, talk about concentrated nitro. Maybe one of these days I will do a soil test, maybe not, my grass is still green.

Also, I have earth worms they look happy, as happy as a worm can get.

The bickering is not much different from any other forum I have been on.



My two cents.

It's not bickering it is simply a difference of opinion, my experience may be completely different than yours.

Smallaxe lives in area that has long winters and cool summers, Kiril lives in an area that gets very little rain water, Gro lives in an area that has a 12 month (almost) growing cycle, I live in an area that typically gets 40+ inches of rain every year with scorching hot August's and high humidity

what works here does not everywhere else
BTW welcome to the forum rcblethen, I'm happy you have happy worms

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by ICT Bill

Kiril lives in an area that gets very little rain water

Specifically -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_climate

[rcblethen]

Thanks for the welcome, I told an old girlfriend, Man was not meant to live in the desert. This was after she told me she was moving to Chandler, Az. Sorry I told her this New England boy is not moving.


It seems as though we have switched climates with the great north wet, although we are only slightly above the rainfall average for June.

[ICT Bill]

Originally Posted by rcblethen

Thanks for the welcome, I told an old girlfriend, Man was not meant to live in the desert. This was after she told me she was moving to Chandler, Az. Sorry I told her this New England boy is not moving.


It seems as though we have switched climates with the great north wet, although we are only slightly above the rainfall average for June.

Dam near need scuba equipment in some parts of the northeast, one company called and said they got 12 inches of rain in 14 days, another said it rained 24 out of 28 days. Then I spoke with someone in New Hamshire this morning they said it was in the high 40's

Once it warms up, (if it ever does) look out fungal disease

[rcblethen]

As I was posting we got a tornado warning for the area, oh well, a bit of lightning no rain as of yet.

[Smallaxe]

Originally Posted by dishboy

Having some "fresh " N available in the spring may not be a bad thing as early spring is prime time for root growth. Excessive water soluble N probably not so good of a idea. Adequate N especially for N hogs allows for thick turf while growing conditions are good and helps with turf that is susceptible to red thread & rust. I do not see excessive top growths with a early organic WIN application.

With the idea of storing carbs for the winter, in contrast with N forcing top growth, combined with the idea of healthy root growth in the spring -- Why would you want any fresh N at all?

The energy stored in the fall is going to be used in the spring. Either with unbalanced top and root growth or balanced top and root growth. What we believe is excessive top growth and is not excessive top growth may not be what the plant is actually doing.

We are in danger of wasting the stored energy with the spring app. of N - so why take the risk?