Visit their website for details.
http://agfieldday.rutgers.edu/
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Soil Testing
Hello all,
We recently took soil samples from the garden, and the results are in from the Rutgers Soil Testing Lab. To obtain accurate recommendations, we divided the garden into four regions: Butler 1 (plots 1, 7, 13, and 19), Butler 2 (plots 2, 3, 8, 9, 14, 15, 20, and 21), Butler 3 (plots 4, 5, 10, 11, 16, 17, 22, and 23), and Butler 4 (plots 6, 12, 18, and 24). Over a dozen root-depth subsamples were taken from each region and combined for each analyzed sample.
You are welcome to read the full reports from the lab (click the links above), but here are the main findings and some general recommendations.
1) No nutrient deficiencies were measured. In fact, our soil may be overly rich! This is likely due to excess compost usage. Too much of a good thing is not always best for plant growth.
2) Our soil pH is slightly alkaline (7.25 - 7.40). This is out of the ideal range for most plants but does not pose a serious problem.
3) Avoid using organic fertilizers that contain significant quantities of phosphorus and potassium. These include manure, compost (and compost tea), and commercial "all-purpose" fertilizer.
4) Our soil has good organic matter that slowly releases nitrogen. However, Rutgers generally recommends nitrogen supplementation since this nutrient is short-lived in the soil. If you would like to give your plants a head start or if you notice signs of nitrogen deficiency, use an organic fertilizer such as blood meal or cottonseed meal.
5) To meet the Rutgers fertilizer recommendations, uniformly distribute 3.75 lb of blood meal over a full plot (15' x 30'), and work it into the top few inches of the soil. Approximately one month into the season, an additional ~2 lb of blood meal can be sidedressed in a full plot. Blood meal is readily available at home and garden stores like Lowe's or Home Depot.
--Chase
We recently took soil samples from the garden, and the results are in from the Rutgers Soil Testing Lab. To obtain accurate recommendations, we divided the garden into four regions: Butler 1 (plots 1, 7, 13, and 19), Butler 2 (plots 2, 3, 8, 9, 14, 15, 20, and 21), Butler 3 (plots 4, 5, 10, 11, 16, 17, 22, and 23), and Butler 4 (plots 6, 12, 18, and 24). Over a dozen root-depth subsamples were taken from each region and combined for each analyzed sample.
You are welcome to read the full reports from the lab (click the links above), but here are the main findings and some general recommendations.
1) No nutrient deficiencies were measured. In fact, our soil may be overly rich! This is likely due to excess compost usage. Too much of a good thing is not always best for plant growth.
2) Our soil pH is slightly alkaline (7.25 - 7.40). This is out of the ideal range for most plants but does not pose a serious problem.
3) Avoid using organic fertilizers that contain significant quantities of phosphorus and potassium. These include manure, compost (and compost tea), and commercial "all-purpose" fertilizer.
4) Our soil has good organic matter that slowly releases nitrogen. However, Rutgers generally recommends nitrogen supplementation since this nutrient is short-lived in the soil. If you would like to give your plants a head start or if you notice signs of nitrogen deficiency, use an organic fertilizer such as blood meal or cottonseed meal.
5) To meet the Rutgers fertilizer recommendations, uniformly distribute 3.75 lb of blood meal over a full plot (15' x 30'), and work it into the top few inches of the soil. Approximately one month into the season, an additional ~2 lb of blood meal can be sidedressed in a full plot. Blood meal is readily available at home and garden stores like Lowe's or Home Depot.
--Chase
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Tomato seedlings
Hey, fellow gardeners! I have started an obscene number of heirloom tomato seeds, about 10 different varieties. This means, if they keep germinating, that I will have plants to spare in late April/early May. Once they're grown, I would like to offer them to you guys for $1 each, which will help me recoup some of the cost of the lights and seeds and stuff.
You can read about the varieties at tomatobob.com. I started Green Zebra, Mule Team, Red Brandywine, Stupice, Greek Domato, Coyote, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Ildi, and Livingtson's Favorite (I told you it was obscene, but if you look at all those varieties, it's hard not to go a little crazy).
Obviously, I don't know yet exactly how many of each variety I will have, but if you're interested you can email me [trarbach at PU] or comment on this post... I don't think I'll be in town for the meet-up. Or, if anyone is starting other kinds of seeds, I'd be happy to swap plants a little later in the season!
-Abigail
You can read about the varieties at tomatobob.com. I started Green Zebra, Mule Team, Red Brandywine, Stupice, Greek Domato, Coyote, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Ildi, and Livingtson's Favorite (I told you it was obscene, but if you look at all those varieties, it's hard not to go a little crazy).
Obviously, I don't know yet exactly how many of each variety I will have, but if you're interested you can email me [trarbach at PU] or comment on this post... I don't think I'll be in town for the meet-up. Or, if anyone is starting other kinds of seeds, I'd be happy to swap plants a little later in the season!
-Abigail
Spring Kick-off Party, 3/28!!
Hosted by Nicole Jui & Chase ZacharyThe Butler Community Garden Coordinators
Please RSVP to nicole.jui@gmail.com or czachary@princeton.edu asap as we need a headcount for food & drink.
We look forward to seeing you all!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Rutgers Resources
Spring is almost here and I'd like to share some resources from our neighbors at Rutgers as you begin to plan your season.
Rutgers Ag Field Day:
Saturday, April 24 10 am - 4 pm
Cook Campus, New Brunswick (less than half an hour up Rt. 1)
A great place to get really cheap (sometimes free) seeds and plants. Famous Rutgers tomato plants will be available as well as other vegetable varieties specially suited to our area.
More information on Jersey tomatoes and seed order forms can be found here.
--Chase
Rutgers Ag Field Day:
Saturday, April 24 10 am - 4 pm
Cook Campus, New Brunswick (less than half an hour up Rt. 1)
A great place to get really cheap (sometimes free) seeds and plants. Famous Rutgers tomato plants will be available as well as other vegetable varieties specially suited to our area.
More information on Jersey tomatoes and seed order forms can be found here.
--Chase
Sunday, December 13, 2009
New Garden Coordinator
Gardeners-
I am happy to announce that Chase Zachary has been elected as the second garden coordinator. Please welcome Chase and feel free to contact either of us with questions.
czachary@princeton.edu
I am happy to announce that Chase Zachary has been elected as the second garden coordinator. Please welcome Chase and feel free to contact either of us with questions.
czachary@princeton.edu
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
End of the Season
Gardeners,
Thank you all for making the 2009 season a good one. I know many people struggled with the 'off' weather we had this year - it is unusual. As for the end of the year wrap up, please clean what you can from the garden in order to prepare for any growing you are doing to prepare for the Spring. You hold this plot until January when you will get a renewal reminder. However, you are more than welcome to plant in preparation for next year if you would like to retain your plot. Keep in mind, as a renewing gardener you are able to switch plots prior to the open sign-up for the community. We will send emails after the new year.
Thanks again for all your efforts. We hope you enjoyed the season and ALWAYS welcome feedback and comments to help us improve the gardening in Butler.
Nicole Jui (& Tao Long - who we wish well in NYC)
Butler Garden Coordinators
Thank you all for making the 2009 season a good one. I know many people struggled with the 'off' weather we had this year - it is unusual. As for the end of the year wrap up, please clean what you can from the garden in order to prepare for any growing you are doing to prepare for the Spring. You hold this plot until January when you will get a renewal reminder. However, you are more than welcome to plant in preparation for next year if you would like to retain your plot. Keep in mind, as a renewing gardener you are able to switch plots prior to the open sign-up for the community. We will send emails after the new year.
Thanks again for all your efforts. We hope you enjoyed the season and ALWAYS welcome feedback and comments to help us improve the gardening in Butler.
Nicole Jui (& Tao Long - who we wish well in NYC)
Butler Garden Coordinators
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