From: bobnospam@gmail.com   
      
   On 8/2/2025 5:05 AM, songbird wrote:   
   > T wrote:   
   >   
   > ...   
   >> Is it possible that the soil in my garlic bed, which   
   >> feels great to the touch, has some kind of growth   
   >> inhibitor in it?   
   >   
   >    sure, but it may also just be too much organic material   
   > and not enough mineral as things like clay can help hold   
   > water and nutrients.   
   >   
   >   
   >> It has had lots of chicken poo, bone meal, worm   
   >> casings, water, etc.  This soil got really   
   >> pampered trying to get my garlic to grow.  Nothing   
   >> worked.  Now the same thing on my pepper plant!   
   >>   
   >> Purselane loves my garlic path though.   
   >   
   >    if you want it around it's great, if you don't it is   
   > very hard to remove completely.  the seeds can persist   
   > for 40+ years...   
   >   
   >   
   >> Is so should I dig out all the soil and replace it?   
   >   
   >    in the past you've talked of pots and holes where you   
   > were planting.  are these those?   
   >   
   >    pretty much mixing and spreading out concentrations of   
   > materials can help if there are local issues (like if you   
   > have spots that collect and hold water when certain kinds   
   > of plants don't do well with that).   
   >   
   >    the more general problem is that when you bring in any   
   > outside amendments or materials you may not be getting   
   > what you expect and yes sometimes such things can be   
   > contaminated and cause problems.  years ago there was an   
   > item in the news about compost that had herbicides in it   
   > which took some time to resolve.   
   >   
   >   
   >    songbird   
      
   Could do a soil test. my local "conservation district" offers 5 free   
   soil tests per family per "lifetime", then charges, IIRC $25 for   
   additional tests.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)