nd spinley. We ise oak leaves and bags of soil. Whats wrong
I would start with a soil test; this will give you information on possible amendments that your soil needs.
Your County Extension Office can help you with this and it generally only cost a few dollars.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search
Then I would make a list of plants you would like to grow and then start a bit of research on these plants and what their needs are.
Try to start with a few vegetable plants; don't overwhelm yourself with too many varieties all at once!
Consider gardening with raised beds! A great way to control your soil and nutrients!
Even container gardening is a great way to get started!
I'm listing some articles to help you get started!
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/vegetable-gardening-for-beginners.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/category/edible/vegetables/vgen
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/raised-vegetable-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/quick-guide-to-container-vegetable-gardening.htm
Good luck!
I can't get foliar zinc and iron. Is there anything else I can use.
Avoid adding manure as fertilizer. Manure is typically high in phosphorous and can quickly lead to a spike in phosphorous levels.
Add phosphorous-free fertilizer. All fertilizers contain a string of numbers that follow this format: "X-X-X." The first number is nitrogen, the second phosphorous and the third potassium. Phosphorous-free fertilizers will always have a "0" in the second column.
Mix a spray that contains water with 1 percent foliar zinc and iron, then applying that spray to plants every week if phosphorous levels are excessively high. You may apply it every four weeks if phosphorous levels are slightly high. Soils with 300 parts per million phosphorous will take up to five years to go back to acceptable levels.
Have your extension service explain your soil test to you.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/zinc-and-plant-growth.htm
It kind of looks like this https://d2gg9evh47fn9z.cloudfront.net/800px_COLOURBOX7969904.jpg but without the many cracks. I always try to place my finger in the soil to check if it's moist, but in the case of this soil, it's always dry and hard. Everyday. Even though I live in Lebanon where the climate is humid and hot (30 degrees celsius). In fact, yesterday I tried place my finger inside the soil, but I couldn't. And my finger was cut because of the excessive force I tried to use. Also, I place this soil in medium sized pots like these https://d2gg9evh47fn9z.cloudfront.net/800px_COLOURBOX7969904.jpg . But I never notice the water going down the drainage holes for these pots. Is this normal? Is this soil not good for plant growth? Is there a way to make it usable?
It is always best to use pictures of your own soil, because those cracks help to indicate exactly what the soil consists of. This will determine what amounts of things you will need to add to make the soil usable. Still it is best to avoid clay soils in container.
First, I'll start off by saying this: It will be much easier to get pre-bagged soil online than it will to build it. Should you still need to amend your heavy clay soil, this article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/how-to-improve-clay-soil.htm
As with all beneficial soil components, too much potassium can be detrimental to plant growth, as it interferes with the uptake of other substances.
If a soil test indicates a high level of potassium, literally start from the ground up by not adding more to it in the form of a multipurpose fertilizer. Typical fertilizer blends are generally composed of the three most important substances -- nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium -- which are indicated on the packaging by the letters N, P and K. Selecting a blend that is low in potassium, or K, or contains none at all, is a first step in assuring that it doesn't build up to unsuitable levels in the soil.
If a soil test indicates a high level of potassium, literally start from the ground up by not adding more to it in the form of a multipurpose fertilizer.
Schedule any fertilizing within several weeks before planting, so that the potassium doesn't have time to accumulate during the off-season. To minimize long-term potassium buildup, consider using aged or composted animal manure as a substitute for commercial fertilizers, as its components break down more slowly to keep up with plant demand. If using manure, apply it at a rate of 40 pounds for every 100 feet, and work it into the soil to a depth of 6 to 9 inches.
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/HG42_Soil_Amendments_and_Fertilizers.pdf
We mix our own blend or actually we mix things like perlite, steer manure, sand, peat moss and compost into some store bought bagged raised bed soil organic. We fill our garden with this now. When I first started watering, the water would only go down 2 inches even with a whole lot of water -- why would this be? Now i have some veggies planted and started real slow growing, but they are still alive and growing. What can i do to fix this? Even after a very hard rain the soil was dry below 2 inches. We try not to use the native dirt as it hard bed clay.
Depending on, exactly, how much peat you used, I would be willing to bet that this is the issue. If it dries out thoroughly even once it will be VERY difficult to re-wet.
You can try a wetting agent, such as a few drops of dish soap, or a few drops of coconut oil mixed in very well.
This article will offer more insight: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/soil-dries-too-fast.htm
Why and how do I get rid of them?
That is Coprinellus sect. micacei. They do not pose a threat. They are harmless and are eating some decaying wood, either left from a tree stump or buried underground. They are very beneficial to the area, and removing them will be difficult, since very very little of that mushrooms resides above the ground. The real body is in the ground and inside of the wood that it is consuming. What you are seeing is simply the reproductive organs if the mushroom.
If you did manage to rid your yard of it, it would leave your yard open to more dangerous pathogens such as those that destroy lawns and trees.
Still, should you choose to go that route most fungicides will do the trick. You may want to continue to keep them handy for what takes its place, though.
I just started gardening recently and I germinated seeds on plastic cups then these white fungi roots started appearing, should I get rid of it?
It is hard to say. If you are using wild soil to germinate , then it is best to pasteurize the soil first at 180F degrees or just a little above for 3 hours prior to planting. It looks like one of the many leaf rotting fungi, and they probably won't bother your seedlings. If it is going after more than leaves, and rotting wood then you may want to start over, as they have a chance at eating your seedlings. It just depends on whether the fungus prefers living or dead matter.
Here is an article that will help you to pasteurize your soil: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/sterilizing-soil.htm