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PREPARING THE SITE

Probably the most important part of the site is the soil. The soil can affect plant material in many ways. If the soil is hard, and poorly drained it will be cold in spring. Sandy soil, on the other hands, will warm sooner but will not retain heat in the fall and therefore will result in the danger of early frost. Ideally, the soil should be a loam or clay loam with no salinity or evidence of a high water table. Work the soil in the fall to allow it to warm sooner in the spring, hold snow melt moisture better and drain properly to prevent excess moisture. The condition of the soil should be improved by adding organic matter but, when adding organic matter in the fall, it should be well decomposed. Too much raw organic matter will cause the soil to be slow to warm up in the spring as it holds frost much longer.

Fall is also the time to have your soil tested. Soil fertility and pH can best be adjusted if an accurate picture of the nutrient levels are known. An accurate assessment of nitrogen levels is doubly important. There must be sufficient nitrogen for good growth, especially in the spring, but too much would result in delayed maturity. This could often mean the difference between a crop being ready for harvest before the first killing frost or a whole season's work lost. Adequate amounts of phosphorus will offset the effect of nitrogen to a great degree and will hasten maturity.

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This page by Pat
updated August 18, 2000

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