Preparing soil for eggplant, ginger, and edamame etc… (Vegetable gardening tips for beginners)
Grow eggplant, ginger, and edamame etc… in pesticide free farming. Last time, we adjusted the soil acidity by mixing dolomitic lime into the soil.
About one week has passed since then. This time, we will apply fertilizer for cultivating eggplants, ginger, edamame, and others. We grow eggplants, ginger, and edamame through completely pesticide-free organic cultivation, so we also use organic fertilizers.
https://www.vege-try.net/en/make-furrows-spring-summer-20-enBest soil for eggplants, bell peppers, and etc (Soil prep using cow manure, chicken manure, and canola cake)
In row A, we will cultivate eggplants, ginger, and green peppers. The fertilizer needed for the cultivation of eggplants, ginger, and bell peppers includes 2 liters (2 qt) of fully ripened cow manure compost, 100cc (3.5 oz) of chicken manure, and 100cc (3.5 oz) of canola cake.
In bed B, we will cultivate edamame beans and tomatoes. The fertilizer needed for bed B includes 1 liter (1 qt) of fully ripened cow manure compost and 50cc (1.8 oz) of chicken manure.
Since only tomatoes require fertilizer, we will only spread fertilizer in the section designated for tomatoes. The bed is approximately 60cm × 120cm (2 feet × 4 feet) in size, so we draw a line in the center and only spread fertilizer on the half that is 60cm × 60cm (2 ft × 2 ft).
In the cultivation of edamame bean plant, we basically do not use fertilizer. This is because edamame beans have a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria called “root nodules (rhizobia)" which supply nutrients, eliminating the need for fertilizer. (If you give too much fertilizer to edamame beans, it will become difficult for the pods to form.)
You can use any container with known capacity for measuring cow manure or chicken manure. A ladle is convenient for the relatively larger quantity of cow manure compost, while a measuring cup for cooking is useful for chicken manure and canola cake.
Cow manure is primarily used as compost rather than fertilizer. Mixing cow manure compost into clayey soil can be expected to improve the soil.
Cow manure compost makes the soil soft and fluffy. It is compost derived from cow dung, but since it undergoes well-fermented composting, there is no unpleasant odor at all.
Canola cake and chicken manure act as base fertilizer for eggplants and ginger. Canola cake is the residue left after pressing soybeans or canola, and as a fertilizer component, it contains a lot of nitrogen. (Nitrogen is essential for the growth of vegetable’s stems and leaves.)
Chicken manure is an organic fertilizer made by drying and fermenting chicken droppings, and I use granulated chicken manure. As fertilizer components, it contains a balanced mix of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. It is commonly used not only as a base fertilizer like in this case but also as a additional fertilizer.
Put the fertilizer in a bucket, lightly mix it, spread it on the bed, and blend it with the soil.
How to make the bed for eggplant, ginger, and edamame
After fertilizing, shape the bed with a trowel and wooden boards. To create beds, mound soil in approximately 60cm × 120cm (2 feet × 4 feet) sections, shaping them into beds. Enclose the sides of the beds with wooden boards, making it easy to form the shape by adding soil inside.
Compact the sides of the beds by pressing boards against them, and make the top surface level.
Afterward, cover the beds with mulch, and secure the mulch with mulch pins.
Finally, cover the soil over the lower part of the mulch.
With this, the soil preparation using cow manure, chicken manure, etc, and the bed formation for ginger, edamame, etc, are completed.
Related information on ginger cultivation（Frequently Asked Questions for growing ginger root）
What kind of fertilizer is good when planting ginger? (Fertilizer needed for growing ginger root)
For growing ginger, mix cow manure compost, chicken manure, and canola cake into the soil as starter fertilizer. About a month after planting ginger root, it needs side dressing. Use chicken manure for this fertilizer. (organic fermented chicken manure.) Chicken manure contains the nutrients needed for ginger growth in a balanced way. It is recommended for organic ginger root farming.
When is the best time to plant ginger? (Best time to transplant ginger root)
Plant ginger around early May. Ginger root is grown as a spring-summer vegetable, so the planting time is about the same as tomatoes and eggplants. If you plant in May, the harvest time will be around October. Even though ginger is available all year, its peak season is in the fall.
Following is the video for how-to. English subtitles are available.