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From: ajs@hpfcla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.garden
Subject: Re: fertilizer
Message-ID: <15800004@hpfcla.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 11-May-84 15:51:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: hpfcla.15800004
Posted: Fri May 11 15:51:00 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 21-May-84 06:17:26 EDT
References: <318@nbires.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Systems Division - Fort Collins, CO
Lines: 22
Nf-ID: #R:nbires:-31800:hpfcla:15800004:000:1219
Nf-From: hpfcla!ajs    May  8 11:51:00 1984

> I'm a first time gardener here in Colorado where the ground is good for
> growing rocks.  Anybody have any suggestions for fertilizer (preferably
> organic) for a food garden.

Well,  it's not  THAT  terrible,  but it is a heavy  clay.  One easy and
successful trick is to collect  lawnmower  excretions (grass  clippings)
from  anyone  you can, and dump them on thick,  and even work them under
with a tiller if you  want.  This  time of year  everyone  is  thatching
their bluegrass and that generates gobs of nice, fine, dry "hay".  Don't
put it on too thick to till under,  though (more than three  inches), if
you intend to do so at all.  Otherwise, lay it on!

After you till it in you may get something that resembles Mexican adobe,
especially  when it dries.  Never fear, soon there will be worm  tunnels
through it (even though it still looks like black concrete).

Clippings  are also  invaluable  in dry climates  like ours to hold down
water loss, and to stop weeds, and they taste  pretty  good  fried.  :-)
Amazing how many people send them to the dump!

Alan Silverstein, Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Systems Division, Colorado
{ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!ajs, 303-226-3800 x3053, N 40 31'31" W 105 00'43"