Help: DH & Neighbor got together . . . .

[dinahx]

And now a great part of my field is tilled!!

We *were* planning a no till masterpiece, but you know, DH got hasty.

What do I do next? Add manure? Add lime (ph is 5.4)? Very lost here mamas!

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Well, if it hadn't been tilled in a few years, I don't think one tilling would be the worst things - especially if it was grass/pasture. If you have aged manure, now would be a good time to add it. If you have hot manure, it should go on in the fall. And keep in mind cow manure is better than horse because horses don't completely digest all the seeds in hay...it's okay if it's really really old, and you can use it for tea, but otherwise probably not a good idea unless you want to grow hay!

Compost would be good to add if you have it. Your local mastergardeners or extension office should offer a soil test so you know if there is any specific thing you should add like ash or lime, etc. I would in the mean time get it covered with landscaping tarp or newspaper w/ straw on top. This will keep your soil from washing away.

Good luck!

[dinahx]

Really? Should I till the rest then?

I am going to call extension today . . . I just DK where to get Manure or Compost yet . . .

My PH is 5.4 so they say to add Lime, but won't that just kill even MORE friendly bacteria?

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Hmm..not so sure about the lime part, I always just went with the dirt I had when I had my huge garden. I just know that when I had it, I reclaimed a 30x50 plot that was pasture like FOREVER and it was murder keeping the grass out. Three years later, after it went fallow, it was pasture again, like the garden was never even there. I would go through and pick out any big chunks of grass with a pitch fork and turn what you can into it. And I highly recommend the tarp or something similar, because it will keep the weeds down and the soil moist. I had a hell of a problem with the grass.

I know what you mean about no till. Mother Earth News had a fantastic article about it last year. But in this case, I think the initial till or two may be necessary to free up the pasture. I would recommend doing it again in the fall to get some good manure into there, cover it up again, and you probably won't need to do it again for a few years. And in my experience, it will give you a chance to pick out all the nasties that are in there too - grubs & etc.