I received the results from my soil test and very high Nitrogen (93ppm). They recommend a high feeding grass only cover crop. This will add the needed organic matter (0.8) and lower nitrogen level. Question is, will rye grass do the job? Thanks Don Zone 9
Yes, Ryegrass can help capture residual nitrogen.
Here is a link with more information.
http://fieldcropnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/ryegrass-management-2013.pdf
I have a large amount of soil that came from composting all my garden waste, including weeds. Now I wish to use this soil and don't want any weeds to grow out of it. How can I eliminate any chance of weeds growing out of this soil? I should add that this is a lot of soil and wish to sterilize it in large quantities. Thank you Dave D.
Sterilizing soil in large quantities for a home gardener can be difficult.
Here is a link with more information on sterilizing soil.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/sterilizing-soil.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/how-to-solarize-garden-beds-to-eliminate-garden-pests-in-the-soil.htm
I got 3 yards of "top soil" that I spread on bare spots on my lawn. I tilled it, seeded, fertilized, watered, and still no germination. Turns out that the soil came from a corn field. If I put manure on it, will that neutralize the soil? I am guessing that the farmer used a chemical like atrazine.
It is certainly possible (and unfortunate) that an herbicide may have been used on this soil. Manure will not neutralize herbicides, but some (including atrazine) will degrade over the course of a few months or a few years. Others take longer to break down.
Is there a way to find out more details on what herbicide may have been used? This will help you determine whether you can wait till it breaks down or whether you will need to remove the soil.
Should I dig up the soil? Should I just turn it over for the winter and then replace with new soil in spring? [Lawn care company sprayed on a windy day at apartment building next door and killed 2 Forsythia bushes and all my Mayapple groundcover.]
It's unfortunate that the lawn care company damaged your garden. Would it be possible to contact the lawn care company and find out what chemical(s) they used? The reason is that some herbicides (weed killers) break down in just a few weeks, while others can remain in soil for years. Once you know the chemical name, you can look up product information on how long it takes to breaks down. If it turns out to be a persistent one, you will probably need to replace with new soil.
This advice is aimed toward farmers, but should apply to gardeners as well:
To see if the soil is safe next summer, you could try the "bioassay" technique they suggest.
I am currently digging out footings for summer house. I have dug a lot of clay soil and spread over my garden to level and to save cost on skip. It has lots of lumps so I was thinking to rotivate it all in and re-seed after. Is there a better way?
Here is a link on amending clay soil.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/how-to-easily-improve-your-clay-soil.htm
I just got my soil tested, and the result is that my soil has copper and nickel deficiency. What can I do to improve my soil and plants with copper and nickel deficiency using natural ways or organic methods?
These articles explain how to supplement copper. Copper can be toxic to plants in excessive amounts, so only apply the required amounts:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/copper-for-the-garden.htm
http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/nutrient-management/micronutrients/copper-for-crop-production/
Nickel is an essential nutrient for plants but is required in very small amounts. Supplementation with nickel is usually not needed, and excessive amounts are toxic to plants. However, if the soil pH is too high, plants can have trouble taking up nickel, so the recommended treatment is to lower the pH to the plant's ideal pH range:
http://www.agprofessional.com/news/nickel-plant-nutrient-%E2%80%A6-really
Concerning the soil type preferred by the Pygmy date palm, and other tropicals to be planted in an indoor growing bed, I am unclear on the proportions of the various soil amendments to add. I intend to make up my own potting mix as I need at least 50 cubic feet to fill the space. At 10.00 per ft, the bagged mixes can become quite expensive for that amount. I don't want to use local topsoil as it's not pasteurized though, and baking that amount in my oven is impractical. Thanks for any advice!
1/3 sand and 2/3 soil (whatever basic soil you have) is a typical mix. This article gives a great overview of some more elaborate possibilities:
http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-potting-soil-for-palms.htm
Also see this article about palm fertilization:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep262