[Arid_gardener] "Square foot" question

[Olin Miller]

I don't recall any discussion about peat moss.  But it doesn't mix well with 
my soil - it just seems  to float to the top, then wash away.  You will 
probably want to use an organic compost.  But most of these at the big box 
stores contain biosolids although it isn't always mentioned on the bag.  For 
example, HD's "Blended Steer Manure" in a one cubic foot bag that sells for 
87 cents doesn't mention it on the bag but it is mentioned at the bagger's 
website.  May not be a problem for you unless you plan to use it to grow 
vegetables.

Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer, Maricopa County AZ

=========================================

----- Original Message ----- From: "Carolyn Stoffel" <rakena at basicisp.net>
To: <arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu>
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2006 1:42 PM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] "Square foot" question


> I've done some reading about "square foot gardening" (not the book, 
> though) and recently purchased peat moss, vermiculite, and several kinds 
> of compost but haven't opened any of it.
>
> At the recent Fall Festival (Hi, Olin; Hi, Dick) a couple of the Master 
> Gardeners recommended against the peat moss on the basis that when it 
> dries out, it stays dry. They suggested pumice instead. However, the pots 
> I saw with pumice had very little, so I'm trying to figure out what to use 
> instead of peat moss for the necessary(?) bulk.
>
> I did buy a bag of pumice and one of worm castings at the Festival but I 
> was planning to add those in much smaller quantities - perhaps a cup of 
> each to a couple of scoops - each - of the vermiculite and compost.
>
> I have a couple of cut-down Phoenix garbage cans (look more like horse 
> feeders than composters) that I was going to use initially, which will be 
> considerably deeper than the square foot recommendation, but I wanted 
> something I could plant now.
>
> I have a small jar of old ranunculus seed that I'll just scatter thickly 
> (rather than spacing out) in one. The seed is so old and wasn't stored 
> properly, so it may not germinate at all. I also have ranunculus and 
> gladioulus bulbs, quite old and poorly stored, so I'll plant them with a 
> minimum of fussing - if they come up, fine.
>
> I'll have to consult some of the handouts I picked up at the Festival. I 
> know I have gazania (old), zinnia (fresh), four o'clocks (old), Santa 
> Claus melons (fresh, from a melon), jojoba (uhhhh.... no place for those), 
> Shirley poppies (old), and spaghetti squash (old). Oh, and jicama (old).
>
> And the onions (two Egyptian walking onions) and the multiplying onion I 
> bought at the Festival. The latter is not looking well at all. I'm feeling 
> very black-thumbed at the moment.
>
> There are other things I'd like to try but I have a tendency to bite off 
> more than I can chew, then quit, so I'm trying to start small.
>
> Thanks for any advice or suggestions.
>
> Carolyn Stoffel
>
>
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