# soil for later?



## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Ok. I have a query. Say I was able to get a small piece of trash land over a confined aquifer (well water) for a bol. If i couldnt spend enough time there to garden regularly how would I improve and maintain the soil for later use? Would yearly dumping and spreading of manure over future garden site be sufficient? Are there certain low/ no maintanence grasses I could grow in my absence that would enrich or at least maintain soil quality?


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## SimpleJoys (Apr 28, 2012)

Yes, composted manure would help a lot. Any compost would help a lot. A soil test would tell you what else you need to add. Green manures (crops to plow under rather than harvest will help if the land is fertile enough to grow them, but which is best depends on where the land is (both average heat and cold, likely extremes, average rainfall, ph level, hours of daylight, and what time of day it gets sun). It's best to use both manure-based compost and plant-based compost (they can be composted together if you're making your own) because they have different micro nutrients. 

Dry molasses is great for increasing the soil's biological activity. Check out dirtdoctor.com.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Have your soil analyzed*



CrackbottomLouis said:


> Ok. I have a query. Say I was able to get a small piece of trash land over a confined aquifer (well water) for a bol. If i couldnt spend enough time there to garden regularly how would I improve and maintain the soil for later use? Would yearly dumping and spreading of manure over future garden site be sufficient? Are there certain low/ no maintanence grasses I could grow in my absence that would enrich or at least maintain soil quality?


The government has Extension offices that can help with many things relative to garden, yards, fields, gardening, farming. They might be able to help you. I would look for my local Extension office and ask them. Depending on your locality depends on what they do for you and can do for you.

If you have enough land, you can work it different ways.

I know someone who has a farm in Missouri and lives in Colorado. He goes to his farm in the spring and plows and plants. He goes back in late summer to harvest.

A couple different people I know have someone else do the actual work on their land. The fee for the people who plow, seed and harvest can be a share of your crop.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

When I was in MN we used to grow clover then plow it under to help enrich the soil.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Thx for all the help!


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