Any other Gardeners here?

[Fantail]

Thought it might be interesting to share a little bit about what we do and what not. I also have a question about bell peppers.
Last year some of the bell peppers had soft spot, from what I looked into this is due to a lack of calcium in the soil. Well, everything that didn't make it went back into the composter for this year. I got a hold of a little pulverized limestone to add but was told this takes a long time to break into the soil?
Garden at home is only about 20' x 30'. This year I'll have some cauliflower, snap peas, 1 row of peppers (green, cherry & unidentified hot from a friend at work, a few watermelon & cantaloupe, a row of cucumbers and 2 rows assorted lettuce. Have to rethink the rhubarb because the two plants I had went right to seed then crapped out. Maybe their spot needs more sun.
Garden at camp is, well a collection of projects. Got a 10' x 20' for a few greens. Just recently planted 10 wild/crab apple, two cherry, and about a dozen highbush blueberry. Some areas the soil there is slightly acidic 5-6ph. Also trying to take advantage of a few new clearings from last years logging. Also the ground is carpeted with roots and shale rock. I friend of mine is a welder had him make a custom breaker bar with a stainless tip, I use that to bust up the planting spots. That thing also was the jazz for digging post holes for the solar array. For the trees at least, it took about two hours a spot no joke. Then once I can fix up the trails I can make use of the 885N and expand the wildlife plots a bit. Those amount to about 1.5 acres mostly a clover & chicory mix. Going for another acre. Can make use of a Tecumseh powered 5hp rear tine. Good times.

 

[Layback Bear]

The first thing I would recommend is getting a PH/meter. Most of them come with a chart that indicates what plants like what PH.
The PH of the soil is the number 1 starting place.

Books by Jerry Baker is another starting place.

It does take some time for lime to sweeten the soil. (Raise the PH levels.) I would recommend using the powdered and pellet Lime. The powder Lime work faster but not quick and the pellet work slower but over a longer period of time.

After a PH reading and checking the plants recommended PH requirements you can choose whether to use Lime or not.

It all depends where you live. Where I live I have to add Lime to most soil except where those plants that like a acid soil.

A short story on PH for laymen.

Plants need the proper PH soil in order to take in and use the nutrition and water that it receives.
If the PH of the soil is off to far the plant can not eat and drink properly the food and water it receives.

Soft spots on fruit the first thing I would check is the soil. (Clay or Sand) (Mound or not to mound when planting) Watering the plant or just the roots. Many plants don't like clay soil because it doesn't like their roots sitting in water a long time. They like well drained soil. Sandy soil.

Example: Roses.
Roses don't want their leaves and stems watered. It also creates fungus on the leaves.
Roses like a well draining soil (sandy) and the roots watered in large gulps but not to often. If you plant a rose in clam soil it will do poorly of die. The rose does not like it's roots sitting in water (clay soil) it smothers the plant. Yes plants breath through the roots also.

Some more examples:

Hybrid Tea and Rambling roses like a PH of 5.5 to 7.0
Climbing roses like a PH of 6.0 to 7.0.

Peppers like a PH of 5.5 to 7.0

Some plants like a Hydrangea flowers will be different colors according to the PH levels.
Blue 4.0 to 5.0
Pink 6.0 to 7.0
White 6.5 to 8.0

If one had to pick a PH that most plants will do well in it would be 5.0 to 7.0 on the PH scale.

Well I could go on for ever but I won't

1. Know your soil clay or sand.
2. Know your PH of soil to suite your plant.
3. Know your plants required sun and preferred sun light.
4. Know how the plants like to drink.

 

[Fantail]

My pH meter is very similar to this example. The tips on these things are not exactly durable so after I broke the first one it helps to turn over a clump or small shovel of dirt and make sure you don't bump into rock. Garden soil avg is 6.2 ph. Up on the property woodland soil avg is more acidic 5.5+ avg, blueberry should do well. In some plots with a gradual application of lime its over 6 but that takes time.

 

[Layback Bear]

For sure soil and plants have their own time schedule.
Good idea with the shovel. PH meters do poorly on rocks.
I have found that applying lime and fertilizer on top of the snow works well. It slowly works it way into the soil when the thaw comes instead of washing away when the rain comes.

You can also over seed your lawn with snow on the ground.
The bird will get their share as always but as soon as it warms the seeds will start to grow. The birds will stay around into spring and start eating bugs.

 

[Fantail]

Cell pic - lettuce is going slow, onions ok, various peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon taking off, snap peas are starting to climb, cauliflower ok. In both left corners where nothing came up I planted extra cantaloupe, forget the actual name of them but they should have a reddish fruit.