• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Elliott Homestead

From Scratch By Shaye Elliott

  • Home
  • Beekeeping
  • Raising Chickens
  • Animals & Livestock
  • Gardening & Farming
  • Sewing & Knitting
  • Kitchen & Dining

My Totally Non-Scientific Soil Amendment Plan 2023

by Melissa John Leave a Comment

So, I’m terrible at doing soil tests. Every year, I think to myself, “I should get the soil tested…”

And then promptly forget about it until it’s wayyyy too late and I suddenly have about 300 starts to put in the ground and resolve to do it on time next year.

Because of my terrible procrastination problem, I’ve come up with a soil amendment plan that seems to work? I say seems, because since I’m also a procrastinator at compiling data — despite constant compulsive note taking — I just assume that it’s probably doing fine. Stuff’s growing, right?

So, here’s my recipe for Maybe OK Garden Soil (TM).

soil amendments

Table of Contents:

  • Organic matter
  • Mulch
  • Poop
  • Wood Ash
  • Method of dispersal

Organic matter

I tend to pretty much throw whatever organic matter I can get my hands on the ground. Old hay. Leaf litter. Coffee grounds (you can get them from your local coffee shop). Grass clippings. (This document has some information about the availability of specific nutrients in different types of organic matter).

Sometimes I’ll get ambitious and roam fancy neighborhoods where people rake their leaves in the Fall and pick up bags of leaves from the curb and pile them up in the backyard. I tell my wife that I’m actually letting them decompose, but in reality, I’m usually too lazy to spread the leaves (my initial plan is usually to use the leaves as mulch) and so I wind up letting the compost and using them as soil amendments after forgetting about them for about 3 months. And of course, I use compost from my poorly maintained compost pile.

Y’all. I’m starting to think I suck at gardening.

Mulch

mulch pile

My obscenely large mulch pile.

So, earlier this year, I made a deal with the local utility company that I’d take their wood chips produced from when they trimmed trees around power lines. The plan was (is?) to take all that material and mulch the entire front yard, turn it into a garden space (killing my grass in the process!) and then spreading more around the back yard preventing grass and weeds.

As the mulch breaks down, I will cultivate it into the soil, thereby amending even further. Now, as a result of my ambition, I have a 60 feet long pile of mulch about 5 feet high in my driveway. My neighbors, I’m sure, are impressed.

Protip: If you have a spouse who’s not as into gardening as you are, get yourself a 60 feet long pile of mulch in your driveway. I promise said spouse will instantly be super interested in what your garden plans are for the year and when you’re going to use all that mulch. They’ll talk about it nearly every day, thus bringing you closer together as a couple. You’re welcome!

Poop

Poop is one of my favorite things to put into the soil. I get as much rabbit and goat poop as I can and just work it right in. If I have chickens — which I don’t right now — I usually put their run over where I want the garden to be. They do a great job of decimating all the weeds in the run and their droppings are filled with all sorts of happy nutrients.

If you do this, be aware, chicken poop is considered “hot” which means it needs to age before planting in it, as the droppings contain high amounts of nitrogen which can burn plants and kill them (I learned the hard way). I usually try to move the run every few months, letting the material age and “cool” down.

Rabbit and Goat poop can be placed directly into your soil fresh from the animals bum. I want to build a composting toilet, but the family is still a bit squeamish about me growing veggies with human poop (but it would give us something to do with all those wood chips!).

Wood Ash

Wood Ash has phosphates and potassium, which are, of course, essential nutrients. It’s important to use hardwood ash, for some reason I’m not entirely aware of? I’m going to search now and figure it out. I’ve always been told not to use ashes from evergreens, but never bothered to wonder why.

Well … Evidently it’s OK to use evergreen ash? Huh. Now we know. According to this article, the only issue is evergreen ash contains less potassium.

OK then. I tend to, again, this isn’t laziness, pile up a bunch of wood ash during the winter in the backyard and eventually spread it on the garden. I do this to foster a better relationship with my spouse, as like the mulch, gives her a reason to talk about my hobbies with her.

Method of dispersal

Again, I have heady plans for my garden every December. And of course, I ignore them immediately in January when I just get distracted or bored or lazy. So then, I have my 300 or so plant starts that by the end of February I put in the ground in a frenzy of planting, swearing to never procrastinate again.

Most of the time, these are assorted greens, and as such, tend to grow rather quickly. Usually, I do this without amending the soil. Then immediately after the starts have matured and been harvested, I amend my soil. Not because it’s better, but because I figure I have to get it in sometime and my poor planning usually means I’ll have to do it in between plantings.

Also, there’s a pretty interesting discussion about whether the material should be tilled into the soil or just top dressed. I tend to fall on the just drop it on top of the ground side of the argument. I tell people it’s because of the debate and the uptake possibilities of the nutrients, but really I’m just in a hurry at this point.

After getting my amendments on the ground, I cover everything with a layer of mulch thus hiding my sin of laziness and poor planning (mulch covers all gardening sins). And that’s it.

I mean, it seems to work? Mostly? If I ever get around to getting my notes compiled, I’ll let you know.

Want better gardening and homesteading advice? Check out our beginners guide to homesteading — Homesteading From Scratch! Leave us a review: We’d love to know your thoughts on the book!

How useful was this post?

5 / 5. 3

Sharing is caring!

0 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening and Farming

Find Best New Year Deals 2023 on Amazon.com

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recent Comments

  • Melissa John on 🥇The 7 Best PTO Tillers For The Money [2023 Reviews]
  • Dennis Demchyna on 🥇The 7 Best PTO Tillers For The Money [2023 Reviews]
  • Henry on What Is The Most Powerful Home Blender for The Money 2023
  • Albert Erele on 🥇Vitamix 780 Review [Vs 750, 7500, A3500, E320] What Works
  • Doug on TOP 5 Best Well Pump Pressure Switches [2023 Reviewed]
  • Mike H on Top 7 Best Lawn Sweeper For Pine Needles [2023 Reviews]
  • James Martin on 🥇Vitamix 780 Review [Vs 750, 7500, A3500, E320] What Works

Recent Posts

  • The 5 Best Cheese Making Kits for Beginners: 2023 Reviews
  • Best Crops for Fall Gardening: My Favorite Seed Storing Tips
  • How Much Does It Cost To Produce A Dozen Eggs?
  • TOP 10 Best Food Processor Blender Combo [2023 Reviews]
  • 🥇TOP 11 Best Walk In Chicken Coops for Your Flock [2023]

Footer

Advertiser Disclosure:

Elliotthomestead.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Additionally, Elliotthomestead.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.

We do not specifically market to children under 13.

DMCA.com Protection Status

Recent Posts

  • The 5 Best Cheese Making Kits for Beginners: 2023 Reviews
  • Best Crops for Fall Gardening: My Favorite Seed Storing Tips
  • How Much Does It Cost To Produce A Dozen Eggs?
  • TOP 10 Best Food Processor Blender Combo [2023 Reviews]
  • 🥇TOP 11 Best Walk In Chicken Coops for Your Flock [2023]
  • Family Essential Oil Kit: 150 Uses for the Family Physician Kit
  • Best Agri-Fab Lawn Sweeper Reviews [Top Picks for 2023]

Disclaimer:

All information on this website is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only. It is not a replacement or substitute for professional medical advice and/or treatment. Consult with your own doctor for information and advice on your specific questions.

All wallpapers and backgrounds found here are believed to be in the “public domain”. Most of the images displayed are of unknown origin. We do not intend to infringe any legitimate intellectual right, artistic rights or copyright. If you are the rightful owner of any of the pictures/wallpapers posted here, and you do not want it to be displayed or if you require a suitable credit, then please CONTACT US and we will immediately do whatever is needed either for the image to be removed or provide credit where it is due.

All the content of this site are do not gain any financial benefit from the downloads of any images/wallpaper.

© 2023 · The Elliott Homestead · About · Contact · Affiliate Disclosure · Privacy Policy