Harder and harder to get good crops.

[p54jes]

hello. every year we have noticed that our yields have gone down . every year we fill the plot and rotate crops, we have manured it a few times.we have tested the ph which is ok the only downside is in the winter its very very wet what can we do to get back on track ?
Thanks
p54jes

[Jeanied]

Maybe the winter wet has washed out some vital nutrients? Have you tried the n p k levels? Anything in particular not doing as well as it used to?

[Snadger]

The last two years have been pretty dour for me cropwise and I put it down to changing weather patterns.

This year though, if there's any justice in the world and if mother nature decides to play ball, I should have a bumper crop of everything!!!!! (Forever the optimist!)

[di]

Last year wasn't a great one for us either...a few things did really well,but more didn't...like Snadge,I blame the weather

[Dottie]

If you don't think it's to do with the cold long winters and hot summers we've had, as has already been suggested. Then have you thought about covering your plot during the winter months? That way all the goodness will not be washed away, weeds will be kept down and it will warm the soil for earlier sowings.

[vegnut]

Maybe try a green manure during the winter months and then dig it in. That should help.

[Two_Sheds]

Zazen posted a good thread about the old Native American's gardening. They noticed reduced cropping too, so left the ground fallow every fourth year (or so).

You could replicate this by leaving a patch under green manure every year or so

[gojiberry]

Maybe your expectations have gone up over the years. Generally we always remember the good times and if in a particular year your plot produced 50k of potatoes you are then going to gage each year on that good year. I know I do it myself, I didn't think last year was a good potato year and yet I am still eating potatoes from the plot. The potatoes weren't very big but there must have been more tubers..

Ian

[taff]

are you digging it every year? if you are, try not digging it.
are you adding organic matter [like compost/manure etc] every year? if you aren't, try adding more of it. At least two inches over every area you grow, preferably more.
if it's very wet, is it because it's low down so the water naturally runs down into when it's raining or because you have clay soil? if it's the former, not much you can do except try and make a soakaway, if the latter, more compost, and try raised beds.

[zazen999]

I'd invest in an NPK tester - and just see what the levels are.

And yes, leave it fallow every now and then; but if it isn't the NPK then you need to find out what might be the problem.

What was the pH - just as a matter of interest....?

[p54jes]

Thanks.
PH was near 7 all over plot. Could you let me know what NPK is please ?.
I like the sound of growing fertilizer crops what would you recommend.
Cheers
P54jes

[zazen999]

Piskie's NPK and beyond....

Green manures

Most veg crops extract the nutrients best at a pH of 6.5, so I'd look at lowering it slightly and test the NPK in the meantime.

[Alison]

To be honest I'm find that the crop returns are going up at the moment but I've only had the lottie a few years and am in the process of improving the soil with a combination of manure, rotation, initial digging to aerate and lots and lots of organic material off the compost heap. Seems to be working well and the numbers of worms are increasing so I must be doing something right.

[vegnut]

Thanks.
PH was near 7 all over plot. Could you let me know what NPK is please ?.
I like the sound of growing fertilizer crops what would you recommend.
Cheers
P54jes

There are so many types of green manure to try. But this one may work for you.

Buy Caliente Mustard Seeds | Green Manure Seeds

[Aberdeenplotter]

I was interested when I read you had manured your plot a few times. In my humble opinion, you really need to be manuring your plot every year in conjunction with your scheme of rotation.