I have feilds that i want to grow lots of vegetables on, does veg need a specific soil type or can they cope?

Question

I'm guessing that the best soil is alluvial soil near on river floodplains. Well our farm does not have big rivers, but it is flat. I'm also guessing that well aerated soil is good for veg?

Our soil is slightly clay, its located in the centre of devon, england. Do you think large scale veg production would be possible?

Answer 1

Hi I'm mike and I live in Dallas Texas I have alittle rach outside of town. To answer your question as long as you do not have sand you should be OK,but I believe you asid you have clay and if that is the case then make sure your not sitting on top of a rock bed under the soil. as long as the rock bed (if you have one) is approx. 12 inches below the soil you'll be ok. but with you having clay make darn sure you field is well aerated......

Answer 2

I grow veg on a much smaller scale than you have planned. My method is crop rotation - i.e. a 4 year rotation system that ensures a certain crop is not grown in the same plot year after year. Helps keep the risk of disease down. I'm sure your land is totally adequate to support veg, carrots might be a problem as they prefer sandier soils. Though globe varieties can work. My advise (this is what I did) is to invest in some good books about veg growing, there's loads of them out there, have a look on Amazon.

Answer 3

Your county extension office can help you with that one. You need soil testing and decide what to do to the soil for the specific veggie. I use a pure compost in my gardens, and all my veggies thrive on it. Everything I do is organic. But from your question you are wanting to farm larger tracts of land.

You can search the archives for free at www.motherearthnews.com

Answer 4

Getting your soil pH tested will give you a good idea of what would grow well, cheap and easy to do. It also depends on how you want to farm your land, organically is probably the best way to go, for home consumption or to sell. If you are setting up a business there are all sorts of stuff you need to know, cross compliance, erosion by wind, water and actual farming... The defra website will set you in the right direction if that's the way you want to go, or if you are just going to be a 'cottage industry' see if there's a local horticultural college in your area to ask for advice.

Answer 5

Changing the physical characteristics of soil through outside methods is extremely limited.  Sure, you can add lots of organic matter to low OM soils and make things better, but on a large scale it's nearly impossible.  Instead of adapting the soil to meet your needs, you need to use plant varieties and cultural methods that will adapt to the soil.  

I farm high clay soils and clays have high shrink-swell capacity.  Muddy and sticky when wet and hard as a rock when dry with cracks as wide as your wrist and 8 feet or more deep.  If you want to raise root crops, raised beds allow the soil to crack and expand to meet the needs of the vegetables.  Clay soils are slower to warm in the spring, so having raised ridges with no plant residue will warm up quicker.  If you have plants that like cool moist weather, a heavy mulch will keep the soil cooler and more moist.  If your climate is dry, you plant in furrows so it's possible to irrigate down the row.  If you have hot moist summers, training vine and bushy crops to a trellis or cage gets the fruit up off the ground and reduces mildew and bacterial diseases.

So, work with what you have and just remember that all soils are like people with their own strengths and limitations.  Capitalize on the strengths and work around the limitations.  In other words, it's easier to swim downstream than it is upstream.

Answer 6

It depends on WHAT you pretend to grow!Every vegetable has their proper need. So only an agronomist can give you an advise.

Answer 7

a nice mix of deep sandy and loamy soil with a clay under soil would be ideal for growing veggies.

Answer 8

well black dirt isnt to good for growing anything if you want to grow say watermelons or something like that you need sand just about every thing grows in sand

Answer 9

Now I'm no farmer, but I do live in Lincolnshire and the farmers here grow loads of veg. I have never thought of Devon as a vegetable growing area, however I don't see why not. I had a look at vegetable growers in Devon (first link) and you may get some ideas from there. I know you said you live in Mid Devon but soil type can change in a very short distance. The second link has an interactive soil type map which may help establish more accurately exactly what you have without expense.

Farmers up here use polythene to bring their crops on earlier. You might like to consider that or putting polytunnels/ greenhouses on part of the land.

What is your target market going to be? That will also determine what you are going to be growing and its mix.