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yoderde
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 10:48 am Post subject: Sour Smelling Soil |
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| I have typical heavy Denton clay soil. I recently prepared a planting bed for shrubs. I put lava sand, green sand, corn meal, and compost on the surface and tilled in to a depth of about 5 inches. I then put about four inches of shredded bark on the surface and planted my shrubs (according to Howard's instructions). I've since planted a few more shurbs and, when I dig into the soil, it smells very sour. Is there anything I can do except wait for the earthworms to do their thing? |
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Tony M
Joined: 31 Mar 2003
Posts: 1087
Location: McKinney,TEXAS
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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Check your drainage first. Wet soil is often the cause for foul oders.
Tony M |
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Dchall_San_Antonio
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 2001
Location: San Antonio,TEXAS
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| Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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All those things you tilled under the surface are meant to be used on the surface without tilling them in. Wet corn meal will really smell sour.
When you stop digging, the smell should go away. |
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kwl1763
Joined: 23 May 2003
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2003 5:40 pm Post subject: Don't Worry |
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| I totally redid a huge flower bed (400 sqft) 2 years ago using basically the same method and it also stunk when I dug. It will go away. It is mainly the cornmeal. I had no ill effects from it as all my plants have thrived. As long as you have the proper drainage I wouldn't worry about the smell at all. It will go away soon! |
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chuckfranke
Joined: 08 Oct 2003
Posts: 125
Location: Rowlett TX
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| Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2003 9:38 am Post subject: |
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| Saw the same thing when I tilled cornmeal into my rose beds but a month later I could start a bait shop - the worms are so numerous and huge now that if you turn the top two inches you will find about a dozen per square foot just at the surface.... the cornmeal has worked wonderfully on black spot so hold yer nose and go with it!!! A little molasses sprayed in seems to make it break down faster. |
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