[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick Gross]

This just off the top, Marian, but is it possible that a large amount of the nitrogen in your soil is bring consumed by micro-organisms chowing down on partially decomposted organic material and depriving the plants of the essential nitrogen? I belive I have been told that the only nutrients missing, typically, in desert soil are organic material and nitrogen. If the organic material is not fully composted, it may be sucking up all the available nutrient but organic material cannot be ingested by plants until it has completely decomposed releasing essential elements. Compost may contain a bunch of elements needed for building materials but, if they are bound up in complex hydrocarbon compounds, they are not available to plants as nutrients.

Use 21-0-0, Amminium Sulfate on part of your garden and appraise its response. 

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
University of Arizona Maricopa County 
Cooperative Extension

 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <MarianKirkes at hotmail.com>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 4:24 PM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


> 
> 85242
> MarianKirkes at hotmail.com
> 
> Planted a large garden! Have tilled in many many bags of Miracle Grow soil, dried leaves etc. Our corn is already heading out. It is only 2 feet high! we have watered plenty! Any suggestions??
> 
> 
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