Organic gardening (Hackensack: house, garden, to eat)

[joe moving]

We are slowly expanding our garden every year. we're thinking about plowing up about 50x10 of lawn this year . Maybe in addition to our existing 20x5 or so. I am concerned about the quality of the soil and would like to add whatever necessary (organic only) to the soil to make it more suitable for growing.

Does anyone know the best way to go about finding out what we need to add?
I think the Rutger's cooperative extensive in Hackensack will help?

does anyone have any other suggestions. anyone else doing the same?

[ghuber]

I'm gardening too this year... only a 10x10 plot though. I usually add a little bit of wood ash, leaves and grass clippings as I cut my lawn throughout the season.

Check this link out: Compost & Soil

[lkb0714]

Rutgers NJAES: Lawn & Garden

If you go down to services there is a soil testing link. Any time you are in NJ you have to worry about contaminated soil. Whether its lead paint, PCBs/PBDEs or who know what else if you are growing things to eat its definitely worth finding out.

For the veggie garden at my house (way smaller than yours at about 100 sq ft) we made multiple raised beds based on the gardening by the square foot method. (Building a square foot garden: Journey to Forever) We made sure that the beds were filled with very good quality soil with compost from our local municipal compost heap and go completely organic.

[joe moving]

does anyone know where we can obtain a lot of preferably organic compost?

i know some towns like ridgewood and tuxedo ny have HUGE piles of black gold but i am not sure if people are allowed to come take it?