[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick]

Seann, I use any native soil with a fully composted organic mixture in it. Desert soils are notably deficient in Nitrogen. If the organic component is not completely broken down, that is-eaten, digested and excreted by soil organisms, the compost will continue to work and suck up available nitrogen keeping it from the live plants you want to feed. You can, if you can figure out how much to use, add more nitrogen to make up the deficit. Our soil has pretty much everything needed except organic compounds, or nitrogen, if I remember my organic chemistry accurately.

Our desert soils are all alkaline. I use 21-0-0 almost exclusively mainly because our soils can benefit from the sulfur in that fertilizer.

I don't know if this answers your question sufficiently, Seann, It probably does not but soil construction and chemistry is extremely critical in desert gardening and that is the most productive area of research in which a serious home gardener can engage, I believe. Some erudite soul could contribute a lot to desert gardening by writing a plain english book on soil preparation and ammending, I would think. If such a text is out there, I have overlooked it.

The Salt River Basin is one of the most productive garden spots on earth. If we don't take full advantage of that precious asset, we are missing out on a very good thing.

Dick Gross, MGV UofA Maricopa County Cooperative Extension.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Seann ONeill 
  To: Dick 
  Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 9:00 PM
  Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  Dick,

  What do you suggest as a mixture for soil in these raised bed gardens (we'll be growing vegetables)? Could you please be specific and let me know of any good companies / places to buy from in the valley.  Thank you.

  Seann




  ----- Original Message ----
  From: Dick <rkgross3 at cox.net>
  To: arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu; seannoneill at yahoo.com
  Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 10:02:40 PM
  Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

  Seann, I have used various concrete block and some finish block bonded 
  together with construction glue to build permanent raised beds since 1990 
  and if there is any down side to it I have never detected it.  They are my 
  first choice but second is cedar timbers 6"x8"x8' that will outlast redwood. 
  I have used but dislike ordinary construction pine and I have an aversion to 
  wood preservatives in my garden.

  Construction glue is an amazing product that will permantly bond almost 
  anything to anything. I used it in various applications when building houses 
  on the coast in the 50's and have always had a couple of tubes on hand. It 
  is called liquid nails but it beats nails in applications such as this and 
  even some applications with only wood. It is in my experience, absolutely a 
  permanent bond..

  Dick Gross, MGV  U of A Maricopa County Cooperative Extension


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: <seannoneill at yahoo.com>
  To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
  Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 4:43 PM
  Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  > Seann
  > 85283
  > seannoneill at yahoo.com
  >
  > We are putting in two raised bed gardens in our backyard. We had gotten 
  > some advice to avoid using concrete block for the walls because it will 
  > retain heat and fry our veggies during the hot months. We were told that 
  > wooden walls work better. Is this really a valid concern? (pros/cons 
  > concrete vs. wood walls)
  >
  >
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  > All contents copyright 2007. Arizona Board of Regents/University of 
  > Arizona
  > 



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