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1) Failure to thrive on a recently plowed garden plot... Makes me wonder about herbicides in the soil. Say a broadleaf weedkiller that's built up in the lawn. 2) Get a soil test done. If herbicides aren't the problem, maybe a weird imbalance like a lack of K (Potassium / Potash) is keeping the roots from developing. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and the rest can't work without roots! I'd also do it through a lab. In the U.S. we can send them through the Extension Centers to a state lab for a fairly nominal fee. Maybe after the first few "professional" samples you could go the cheap route with a home kit to just make sure you're eye is staying on the ball. The soil test should give you an idea where to go. 3) As far as how much organic matter you need... Do a "soil ball test" You want to be able to form a ball of soil with your hand that keeps it shape when left alone, but crumbles if squeezed. If it won't form a ball, it's too sandy and you need much more organic matter. <-- my problem and the local dairy farmer delivers by the truckload for me each year :) If you can not only form a ball but also a "sausage"...there's too much clay. <-- not my problem, so I don't know how to fix it. 4) Gardening is a journey so enjoy the trip. Mine is doing really, really well this year because I've had time to dote on it, although most of the doting only takes 20-30 minutes a day on average (i.e. 1 hour one day, nothing the next, maybe a couple 10 minute days, play for an hour that weekend...) But you just reminded me, I meant to pickup some baking soda today and spray my pumpkins to prevent bacterial wilt that I think is threatening with the recent warm, humid nights...hafta to do that tomorrow or I could risk the whole patch.
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