Cukes burned again

Hi there,

Earlier this spring I planted some cucumber starts in a 6? by 3-foot plot that apparently was overloaded with nitrogen. After a few weeks in the sun they shriveled and died. I then dug out a ?V? section of the plot and replaced it with topsoil then replanted some fresh starts. It looks like the new ones are starting to burn as well.

What can be done with this section? Will I have to wait until the rain washes away the extra nitrogen before I can plant anything?

Reply to
Mike
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First thing to do is get a soil analysis. Your county extension agent should be able to help you.

Reply to
The Cook

I hope you didn't make a mistake our neighbor made one year by using a fertilizer for lawns that contained a weed killer of some kind. It took several plantings dying on them before it occurred to them to check the bag........

Reply to
Marie Dodge

Thanks, I'll check into that. Most of the soil is heavy clay, so I dug out about 7 sections for the plots. I've heard that Gypsum can be added to break up the clay. This soil had enough clay that a block of it could be spun on a potter's wheel.

Reply to
Mike

I'm careful enough to keep the weed killer separate from the other garden supplies.

The problem I'm sure was using ammonium phosphate via

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there was even more phosphate damage judging from the cracked bark on the sunny side of the avocado tree. The melon section had too much as well though it looks that the vines have become acclimated and have begun to grow.

Reply to
Mike

(Sigh) Besides damaging your plants, the chem ferts are salts and damage the flora and fauna of your soil. More over you are encouraging the nitrogen consumers which will consume the organic content of your soil leading to a loss of natural fertility (and increasing amounts of purchased chemical fertilizers to maintain the soils present fertility) and water retentiveness, which in turn encourages nitrates to run off and join the local water table which which affects human health.

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babies are extremely susceptible to acute nitrate poisoning because of certain bacteria that may live in their digestive system during the first few months of life. These bacteria change nitrate into toxic nitrite (NO2). The nitrite reacts with hemoglobin (which carries oxygen to all parts of the body) to form methemoglobin, which does not carry oxygen. The level of oxygen being carried throughout the body decreases in proportion to the amount of hemoglobin converted to methemoglobin. As the oxygen level decreases, the baby is suffocated. This condition is called methemoglobinemia.

The most obvious symptom of nitrate poisoning is a bluish color of the skin, particularly around the eyes and mouth. This is called cyanosis. A baby with these symptoms should be taken to an emergency medical facility immediately. The doctor will take a blood sample to be sure the baby is suffering from nitrate poisoning. The blood sample of an affected baby is a chocolate brown instead of a healthy red. Nitrate poisoning can be treated, and in most cases the baby makes a full recovery. It is crucial, however, to deal with the problem immediately, because without treatment a baby can die.

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What can I say? You and your petroleum based fertilizers are a menace to the environment.

Reply to
Billy

We don't all have access to the huge amounts of FREE organic matter you get delivered to your garden as needed. Tell us Americans how we can get the same deal you enjoy. Unless quite financially comfortable, most of us cannot afford tons of compost delivered to our gardens.

Get off your soapbox.

Reply to
Marie Dodge

Green manure and up your's.

Reply to
Billy

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:34:24 -0500,when reading "rec.gardens.edible", I'm certain I caught a glimpse of "Marie Dodge" " saying:

Don't you? :-)

All Mericans, in a way I have FREE organic matter delivered every day. My lawns still need cutting despite that we are experiencing a drought. Trees, shrubs, flowers etc. need pruning, weeds have to be eradicated. My letter box often contains junk mail as well as personal letters.

All my above goes into my compost bin and delivers all the compost I will ever need.

It is possibly appropriate to advise you to adopt your own advice.

Reply to
Erik Vastmasd

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