Davis Jones

Thanks for all the feedback. This garden was originally turf that we hadn't fertilized for years. In 2020 before sheet mulching, I had a soil test done (results are lost of course) that recommended adding nitrogen. I added corn gluten in the amount recommended by the lab before sheet mulching. The garden is 2000 square feet in two sections, within 15 feet of the house.

It sounds from the responses that we have simply over-fertilized through some combination of manure and additional fertilizers. I'll plan to add the biochar, optimize for P-hungry plants in this area of the garden, and otherwise stay off the hard stuff until I can re-test and see normalized levels. We normally mulch with straw over winter as well FWIW.

Thanks again!

I've been unable to find good info on the internet covering soils high in fertilizer and minerals. Three years ago, we sheet mulched our yard with a 50/50 mix of horse manure and straw to a depth of 10", plus 2-4" of compost. We've been growing in this for 2 seasons now, and it's fully decomposed. We have top dressed compost each year, and done some N-heavy liquid fertilizer a few times each summer.

We noticed some weak areas in terms of finding it hard to get good plant growth across the few things we've tried, and so I resolved to get serious about fertilizing and amendment this autumn. To get ready, I got soil tests done at Colorado State (our local Ag program), and the results show very high levels across the board.

Wondering if anyone can give me advice on what to do or not do here? I assume I should hold off on any fertilizers, but wondering if continuing with worm castings and biochar would make sense (was planning to add those this year). Seems like if these levels are causing growth problems, I don't have much of a choice but to wait them out, assuming they will wash out with the rain?

Ph - 7.3
Organic matter - 10%
KCI Nitrate-N - 63ppm (Very high > 50ppm)
Phosphorus - 457ppm (V High > 20)
Potassium - 1087ppm (V High >280)
Calcium - 2729ppm (High >2500)
Magnesium - 434ppm (V High > 200)

The list goes on, but everything is considered High or Very High, except for soluble salts which are Low.

Thanks all!

So I've started in on this - got through about 500 feet out of 2000 (see attached image). It's a lot of work! We were able to source manure and straw for our bulk organic material, and I opted to put cardboard on top of the manure. So my layering is existing grass, then 8-12" of 50/50 manure/straw, cardboard, 2 inches compost, and then 2 inches straw. As I was putting down the wheat straw, I noticed some seed pods. A small test section I did a few weeks ago sprouted some wheatgrass.

Am I in for a lifetime of fighting wheat grass? Or is it possible I could treat this like a cover crop and weed whack it down later in the season if it's looking like it will go to seed? Hoping I didn't biff this one!

Thanks all.

I have found some really heavy duty galvanized cages locally that are wider at the bottom than the top (unlike anything you'll find at the big box stores). They're super stable and strong, but at $25/each not the most economical.

I also found 6x6 galvanized fence at Murdoch's in 4' x 16' sheets for ~$30 each.

I love the ideas with the concrete mesh. Can folks who have used that material post some pictures?

Long time listener, first time caller...

We're preparing a major lawn-to-garden project, with the goal of our first round of planting next spring. I'd like to just go ahead with the sheet mulch now on about 500 square feet of lawn and save the water (some variation of Toby Hemenway's bomb proof sheet mulch). However, we're in the arid southwest, so I wonder if I need to water the sheet mulch to keep it moist enough for decomposition and to prevent the top layer of straw from blowing away. At least until the fall when things cool down a bit and get some natural water. Any tips on time of year for sheet mulching?

Thanks