Would ya look at that? Just look at it! :)

Chic Rustler

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I planed all of these seeds at the same times. There were some gaps so i replanted maybe 2 weeks later. Still some gaps but thats beside the point.

The larger plants were mulched with a little bit of coffee grounds a week or so ago. The smaller side didnt get any coffee grounds that day because i ran out. They all got a healthy dose of aged rabbit manure last week and then mulched heavily with wood chips. I mulched the smaller ones with more rabbit manure today. They are not only smaller but lighter in color as well

Will coffee grounds really make that much difference??? I trench compost this whole area last year with very large fish. Even the smaller side. But the smaller side had tomatoes and squash planted there last year and the larger side was a walkway with a few sqaush and a cucumber trellis.

I buried some rooster scraps (slaughter waste) all over there as well this winter. I guess maybe its possible more was on one side than the other? Not sure.


Kinda seems like the coffee grounds is the major thing, but they dont add much nitrogen. More p and k i think.




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CrealCritter

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Corn loves nitrogen spent coffee grounds are a pretty good source of nitrogen but like you said more P & K. You got a few skips could have been the soil was a bit to cold at planting time. I like to sow 2 seeds and pull the weakest one or leave alone if only one sprouts. Some sweet corn is finicky about soil temps.
 

Chic Rustler

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Corn loves nitrogen spent coffee grounds are a pretty good source of nitrogen but like you said more P & K. You got a few skips could have been the soil was a bit to cold at planting time. I like to sow 2 seeds and pull the weakest one or leave alone if only one sprouts. Some sweet corn is finicky about soil temps.


I think it was old seeds.

Still, i cant imagine why one side is doing so much better. Maybe the tomatoes and squash depleted the soil?
 

CrealCritter

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I think it was old seeds.

Still, i cant imagine why one side is doing so much better. Maybe the tomatoes and squash depleted the soil?

Coffee grounds are pretty acidic. It could be your soil in that section is a little more alkaline and needed a little acid to stabilize the PH. I can't recall what PH corn likes off the top of my head. But your soil seems to be the exact opposite of mine here in southern IL, our is more acidic. Keep feeding your corn nitrogen. When the leaves get so green they almost look blue that's when I know I've given them enough nitrogen and they are happy.

If you have a fertilizer cup for your garden hose. You can load it up with regular old cheap non scented ammonia from the dollar store and 1/2 water. Then lightly spray the leaves and ground, they will take off like a rocket and the leaves will be oh so pretty dark green after a day or two.

This something like one one the cups I use when needed. I have a few different kinds.
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sumi

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Wow, that is some difference!
 

Lazy Gardener

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Coffee grounds are pretty acidic. It could be your soil in that section is a little more alkaline and needed a little acid to stabilize the PH. I can't recall what PH corn likes off the top of my head. But your soil seems to be the exact opposite of mine here in southern IL, our is more acidic. Keep feeding your corn nitrogen. When the leaves get so green they almost look blue that's when I know I've given them enough nitrogen and they are happy.

If you have a fertilizer cup for your garden hose. You can load it up with regular old cheap non scented ammonia from the dollar store and 1/2 water. Then lightly spray the leaves and ground, they will take off like a rocket and the leaves will be oh so pretty dark green after a day or two.

This something like one one the cups I use when needed. I have a few different kinds.
View attachment 10957

Clarification please: So, put 1/2 strength ammonia in the jug of a hose end sprayer, and do a light foliar spray, plus ground spray. Any idea what the finished concentration of ammonia would end up being? I have a hose end sprayer with a dial thingy to adjust the concentration. I believe "dial thingy" is a technical term! ;)
 

CrealCritter

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Clarification please: So, put 1/2 strength ammonia in the jug of a hose end sprayer, and do a light foliar spray, plus ground spray. Any idea what the finished concentration of ammonia would end up being? I have a hose end sprayer with a dial thingy to adjust the concentration. I believe "dial thingy" is a technical term! ;)

For yours I think I would start with the least amount and work your way up. You don't want to burn the leafs. It does green the plants up in a hurry though. Plants also absorb nitrogen from the air through their leafs as well as stems and roots.
 

Chic Rustler

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I wont be putting any chemicals on my food. Its bad enough the only seeds i could find were coated in fungicide.
 
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