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Garden Gate:  root vegetables  |
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RIgardengirl
Farmgirl in Training
15 Posts
Monique
Woonsocket
RI
USA
15 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 11 2010 : 11:41:30 AM
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I have been having the hardest time with my root vegetables for the last few years. Either I get diddly or the veggies are really small. My dad swears on cow manure but I would rather not use it because the farms in the area are not organic. My garden has been organic for 14 years and I am not changing now. 
Thanks.
RIGardenGirl Farmgirl #1838
The way of cultivation is not easy.
He who plants a garden plants happiness.
- Author Unknown |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2010 : 12:18:45 PM
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I have had a lot of success with shredded and partially composted leaves. I also use horse manure from a local animal rescue that is privately run. They don't use commercial med for the animals there. You might do a little lookin for that sort of thing. Also, I use fertilizer from gardens alive, they have a wonderful organic selection.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2010 : 12:52:04 PM
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Root crops are the most destructive on your soil, they suck up all of the nutriants from it, you MUST ROTATE your root crops every year or two and heavily amend that soil, on top of leting it rest every season or two. Then you can stick with your organic ways of fertilizing etc...this way you will bring all the good levels back up in your soil, and your root crops will do so much better by it.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Aug 12 2010 : 07:55:43 AM
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i use a lot of organic bone meal for my root crops. they love it and it helps the roots grow big happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1515 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1515 Posts |
Posted - Aug 14 2010 : 09:01:26 AM
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Try having your soil tested for fertility and micronutrients. For the past few years we were also having trouble with several vegetables in our garden - including carrots, radishes and beets - despite adding plenty of compost, bone meal,etc. I finally had the soil tested and found out that the soil was deficient in several minerals including gypsum, calcium, magnesium and boron. These are minerals that most organic fertilizers don't contain. We followed the soil scientist's suggestions for amendments and are having better luck this year. Teresa is right - you also have to rotate your crops regularly and keep the nutrient levels up. Good luck!
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 14 2010 : 11:41:24 AM
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Hi Monique! I was having a really tough time with beets, and then found in one of my books that you should sprinkle borax (the stuff you use for laundry - plain Borax) on the dirt around them. I did, just before each rain, and some of them really started to grow! I think it's carrots that need lime, too. And when you are preparing your seed potatoes, my Dad said you need to dip them in sulfur... I didn't do that, of course, because he told me long after planting. But what I did do was let them "cure" overnight on a table outside first, so they formed a skin on the cut parts. Then I just threw them on the ground, covered them with straw and the rest is history! I've got a few really big potato plants out there about to flower. I just hope there are some potatoes there under the straw! I'm not even peaking until the plant tops turn brown and wither... sun is bad for the potatoes themselves. This is also the first year I've had success with onions. The only thing different I did this year was use mushroom compost and compost from a bin we started last fall. There are also a lot of great books and sites out there that cover companion planting - some plants are beneficial to each other, where others are not. I don't have my books here with me today, but when I get them back, I'll email you some names! :) I hope this helps! - Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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Garden Gate: root vegetables |
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root vegetables
