Help with a problem

[DirtMechanic]

Yes but not when your planting in 100% charcoal

I suggest you dig it in all around. It will enrichen soil with low carbon, resulting in better oxygenation, chelation of toxic metals, and storage of nutrients rather than them leaching in your high humidity. Weigh it or measure it in a bucket and use one part charcoal fines to up to 19 parts soil (5%). Do not use less than 4 parts soil (20%/). You may soak it in nutrients, the surface area of charcoal can be vast. The size of a tennis court in one chunk old old charcoal.

 

[Foxy]

Thanks, the ground is full of it, every inch of ground here has had a pit dug and charcoal made, I cant dig anywhere and not hit a pile or chunks of it. Everytime it rains there is trails of it running down the hills and in a lot of places if i dig 1 shovel of dirt, 3/4 of that will be charcoal or charcoal dust.
Because this is a village area everyone uses charcoal to cold with or pits dug to cook pigs. I have 2 beautiful tugas trees and everyone eyes them off for furniture or charcoal, even the mother in law says cut them down i said when i die do what you want.

 

[headfullofbees]

Chuck: water more often in the vegetative stage.

 

[Foxy]

Will do

 

[Sabina515]

Wow! You have alot of gardening challenges there. Seems the only thing to do is dig all the dirt out and put new dirt lol. I was going to suggest composting all your food scraps to help bring nutrients back to the soil. Is a raised garden bed an option to plant all your vegetables? I understand this would require alot of top soil and may require ordering online if you are not able to buy any from the store.

 

[Foxy]

Hahaha if i could get top soil I would, but if i could get soil I would be able to get compost.
Funny thing about living here is that if you need something you cant get it but if you dont need it its in every shop.
I will slowly work on the soil, half the fun is working out the problems. If i need vegetables I can just go down to the market.
Thanks for your ideas, it all helps.

 

[headfullofbees]

Well, that sounds a tad challenging.

I have flared wellies (galoshes)

 

[DirtMechanic]

Hahaha if i could get top soil I would, but if i could get soil I would be able to get compost.
Funny thing about living here is that if you need something you cant get it but if you dont need it its in every shop.
I will slowly work on the soil, half the fun is working out the problems. If i need vegetables I can just go down to the market.
Thanks for your ideas, it all helps.

Do you have sugar?

 

[Foxy]

Oh yes there is sugar, there is suger in everything. Thai people love hot spicy food but in the Phillippines they love everything sweet. Spaghetti even has condensed milk and white bread is like cake.

 

[Chuck]

Oh yes there is sugar, there is suger in everything. Thai people love hot spicy food but in the Phillippines they love everything sweet. Spaghetti even has condensed milk and white bread is like cake.

I think what @DirtMechanic was speaking of was cane syrup or cane sugar in quantity. It is almost as good as molasses for soil restoration. Even granulated sugar will work, anything with a LOT of carbohydrates added to the soil greatly increases soil microbes which are essential to have fertile soils.

 

[Foxy]

Would sugar give me a bigger problem with ants. We have several different types of red ants.

 

[Chuck]

Would sugar give me a bigger problem with ants. We have several different types of red ants.

We have multitudes of different ants in the US. They will not be a problem. In the Organic Gardening portion of this website I posted a thread named Molasses the Wonder Drug. I think you will find the entire thread worth reading. If you have any questions don't hesitate..........................

 

[Foxy]

Thanks I will go read it now.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I think what @DirtMechanic was speaking of was cane syrup or cane sugar in quantity. It is almost as good as molasses for soil restoration. Even granulated sugar will work, anything with a LOT of carbohydrates added to the soil greatly increases soil microbes which are essential to have fertile soils.

Learned that from you @Chuck

 

[DirtMechanic]

Would sugar give me a bigger problem with ants. We have several different types of red ants.

No, you cannot use too much at once as like anything imbalanced it causes trouble. You are just feeding soil bacteria so you do not need much, but having said that, it is imperative that you had a steady rate of application like every 2 weeks. Too much feeds fungus and insects more than you want in this case. 5g per liter is plenty.