Just hit me. Water. the cornfield had a perfect consistency to retain water without being soggy. I probably didn't water any of these sufficiently. the cowpeas are probably drought proof?

Cowpeas are definitely more drought proof. Also, could it be that the corn sheltered the peas, some, from some of the hottest sun?

George
Tahlequah, OK

Very well could be, George. Thanks for the reinf. on the cow peas. I need to get an easier irrigation goin. Solve the problem, I bet.

The problem isn't fertility or lack or such. It really isn't even water, though clay complicates existing water issues. It is the tilth of the soil. Plant roots cannot and do not grow well in dense, compacted clay soil that we gardeners often refer to as "tight" soil. Plant roots prefer loose, fluffy soil that allows free movement of both the water and the roots. In wet weather, tight clay soils just change from dry concrete to wet concrete, so the roots still struggle. In the same wet weather, soil that has good tilth and texture, often referred to by gardeners as light, loose or fluffy soils, turns moist but allows good drainage. Peas and beans tolerate wet weather a lot better if the soil is loose and fluffy instead of tight.

With beans and peas, soil tilth is more important than soil fertility to a certain extent (okay, to a large extent). The ability of all legumes to fix nitrogen, whether inoculated or not, basically ensures they can grow even in low-fertility soil, but the lack of good tilth can stop them in their tracks. Your experience, as described in your post, supports what I'm saying. Where did you have the best results? In the loose, fluffy soil. I rest my case. : )

One of the best ways to improve that soil is to let the bean and pea plants stay where they grew. If you want to cut off the tops, do so, then lay them on the ground and let them decompose right there. They'll improve the soil as they decompose, and the plant roots left underground will do the same thing as they decompose underground. Legume plants only really improve the soil if allowed to stay there in/on the soil and decompose. Otherwise the improved nitrogen levels are tied up in the plant matter and leave the soil when you remove the plants. I usually don't pull out bean and pea plants in the back garden and lug them off to the compost pile, unless they are diseased and I want to get those diseased plants outta there ASAP. I just leave them out there to decompose and fix the soil.

Sometimes it just requires patience. I don't know that I can say that there was a certain year when a light bulb went off in my head and I knew I finally had improved the soil enough that virtually anything I planted in it would grow. Likely it was around 2004. So, it took me 5 years to feel like I'd improved its tilth enough to make a significant difference. It then took another 5 years of constant improvement for me to really, truly feel like the clay I'd been amending for 10 years finally was good enough. Now, when I plant this spring's garden, it will be mostly into soil (at least in the front garden) that has been amended since 1999. That soil is as close to perfect as it ever will get, but it is far from perfect. It is just that, in our climate where heat eats up organic matter, it is hard just to keep the level of organic matter level, much less, constantly improving.

My bean yields these last few years have been incredibly high compared to what they were the first few years. As the soil got looser and fluffier, the crops performed better. The same thing will happen for you.

Dawn

Okay. That makes sense. Honestly, I've had a bit of a disrespectful attitude to beans and treat them like squash without endearing their tenderness. This year I have some special beans that I don't wish to fail. In general, I can tell that every year (3 years now) it's getting a little easier.

But of all the veggies Bill loves best, it's green beans. And of all the veggies I love, it's green peas. I need to get this one down!

[Good grief, you good folks have been listening to me bark, spit, fuss and rave for three years.]

Bon,

I would like to suggest something called a broadfork.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-5484-johnnys-520-broadfork.aspx

Mechanical folks can easily make one from a few steel scraps.

I will be helping a family loosen up their tight clay soil next week. We will dig a shallow trench, add some sand and compost, mix well and move to the next row.

I need one of those forks. bill could probably fashion me one.

Sand

Ya think it would help to add some sand to my soil? I'm hesitant because I don't know what I'm doing there. BUT the soil is great except for weight. As you know, there's never enough compost. SO ....

Construction type sand?

Bon,

I have used sand and manure to loosen up clay soil for a long time.

I buy screened fill sand from Dolese at about $12 per ton.

This post was edited by johnnycoleman on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 12:54

Terrific! As long as I don't turn portions of my back yard into a concrete slab. lol I'll get some before I put in the onions, soon.