# Next year's resolutions



## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

For backyard vegetable gardens...

*Next year, I will only grow vegetables that I actually plan to eat.*

Here's why...

I grew zucchini that I didn't pay attention to and pulled out five-pounders. I grew eggplants that made family and friends dread answering my phone calls.

Your turn...


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

I will mow when the grass needs mowed not when it looks like it needs mowed. No I won't.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

pennstater2005 said:


> No I won't.


 :lol: Same.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

I'm going to focus more on organic methods of building soil quality and fertilization, supplementing with synthetic fert as a small portion of the program. I've received some product today, and look forward to giving it a try next month in my "test" area.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> I've received some product today, and look forward to giving it a try next month in my "test" area.


I'm pretty much doing the same thing. Kelp, humic acid, yucca, and SLES for soil. Milorganite for fertilizer.

Up here, our lawns sleep in the winter so I'll blast it with urea before then.

I think the only thing that is not organic is the shampoo (SLES) but I'll knock that back after the soil loosens up.

What product did you get and what are you planning? Finally, is this a veggie plan or for your lawn?


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

This is a plan for my lawn. Matt Martin made a video where he was talking about the benefits of humic acid, and I've learned a LOT by sitting in his classes that he holds on YouTube  He's one smart cookie. When I reached out to the manufacturer of the products, Greene County Fertilizer conveniently located in GA, I had a great conversation with the VP/COO of the company. We talked shop for a while, and I got educated with their lineup, and talked about my renovation, and what I was trying to do with the rest of the yard. He made some recommendations, and said that they only ship in case lots, 4-gallons to a case. When I asked how much the product was, he asked me if I was sitting down, and I replied that I was. I could buy 2.5 gallons of their N-Ext RGS(humic acid, fulvic acid and kelp mix) for what I paid for the quart of the Mirimichi product, and get much better results. Shipping via FedEx cost more than 3 gallons of the product! That being said, I picked up the Mirimichi Green Release 9-0-1C and paid $28 for a quart.

I got 2 gallons of the 18-0-1, and a gallon of 0-0-2 MicroGreene fertilizers along with the RGS, and sprayed the front yard this evening. I was expecting some rain, but as the evening wore on, the rain chances diminished. I'll have to water it in better in the morning. I watered by hand until it got dark. I do have to say that this stuff will stain stuff easily... got some drips on my skin, and my driveway that wouldn't come off easy.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Matt Martin made a video where he was talking about the benefits of humic acid, and I've learned a LOT by sitting in his classes that he holds on YouTube.


I watched that vid and a couple of his others just last night. Nicely done.

I picked up a pound each of powdered humic acid, kelp, and yucca from Kelp4Less. It's about $18 bucks a pound, I think. Shipping isn't bad.

For my 2,500 SF, it'll last forever after mixing with water. I also add some molasses for the soil microbugs and SLES (shampoo, if you like) to lube up the soil.

You are right, the stuff stains pretty well but it comes off readily enough. I dilute my concentrated solution in 15 gallons applied with a Chapin 6005 hose-end sprayer such that the staining is less of a problem.

I usually spray every weekend as the upside is great with no risk of harm to the lawn. I'll omit the SLES after I get a nice, soft soil and apply at a maintenance rate once a month or so. The kelp, yucca, and humic will still go down once a week.

No noticeable results after only 3-4 applications but it makes me feel good... which is nice...

I think Matt Martin reports (might have been someone else) that since he's been using it, he is seeing earthworms just blanketing his driveway after it rains where in the past, it's been the usual worm here and there.

I have a couple of bare spots where I pulled out some shrubs. The soil there is bubbling... clumps of pea-sized soil are appearing. Maybe that usually happens and I never noticed because I've never been serious about soil and grass before. I like to think they are worm castings but I've never seen castings before, either.

For all I know, it's magma bubbling up from the earth's core. But then... I would be in a world of hurt.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

I'm seeing the same phenomena with the clumps of soil appearing on the surface all over the areas that I have sprayed. I am starting to see more earthworm castings on the surface now, which is something I haven't seen in the past 6 years. I've always thought that when you have earthworms casting on the surface that the soil is healthy and active. So we're seeing similar results.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

:nod:


Colonel K0rn said:


> I'm seeing the same phenomena with the clumps of soil appearing on the surface all over the areas that I have sprayed.


I just Googled some images of earthworm castings since I don't know what they look like. Sure enough, the Google pictures match what I have. Maybe we're onto something...

I'm spraying unsulfured blackstrap molasses with my kelp, humic acid, yucca, and SLES.

It's starting to get cold but I intend to keep up with weekly apps until about the last nitrogen blast and then call it a year. So far, I think I like what I am seeing.


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## FlyMike (Aug 27, 2017)

Side track...


Colonel K0rn said:


> ...
> I got 2 gallons of the 18-0-1, and a gallon of 0-0-2 MicroGreene fertilizers along with the RGS, and sprayed the front yard this evening....


I applied the MicroGreene and RGS to my reno last week. It looks like I spray painted my lawn it's so dark right now and it grew pretty quick too. I'm really happy with those products.


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## MarkAguglia (Jul 13, 2017)

I have to take over our garden as my wife literally grew 6 ft tall weeds. That's all that grew!! And grew and grew........6ft. Weeds.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

MarkAguglia said:


> I have to take over our garden as my wife literally grew 6 ft tall weeds. That's all that grew!! And grew and grew........6ft. Weeds.


How goes the garden?


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## MarkAguglia (Jul 13, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> MarkAguglia said:
> 
> 
> > I have to take over our garden as my wife literally grew 6 ft tall weeds. That's all that grew!! And grew and grew........6ft. Weeds.
> ...


I know nothing about gardening so I've been listening to the Joe Gardener podcast but I could use another reference to learn the basics. As of now my plan is to get the already growing veggies they sell in pots at Home Depot and plant them in the raised bed. Maybe next year I'll start seeds indoors. Any idea what I should add to the bed to amend the soil? I filled it last year with Miracle Grow garden soil and I think a bag of manure?


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