Weeds. ok you knew that.
the pulp and seeds of squash and pumpkins. this seems to be chicken popcorn!
Birdseed- the favorite seems to be the sunflowers. they fight over them!
bashed open nuts- chestnut acorn, etc.
cooked potatoes.
so waht have you done for your chickens lately?
Polyculture
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Grow chicken food?
Winter is coming. green grass and clover and weeds to feed the chickens are getting scarce. I already have a little bed of spinach and arugula growing in the green house; slow in this oh so wet fall but nevertheless, if it has good sized leaves by December I usually get nice salads into January. I don;t restart that project until March or so.
Chicken run thoroughly covered with leaves; more loads of leaves to go in. a foot deep would be perfect.( we try for 18 inches in the front area of the goat pen every fall-keeps them dry and they love it too.) Despite all efforts to maintain mulch, the rain just did us in for about 6 weeks. they LOVE the leaves. inside the house; wood shavings and straw. need one more layer before truly cold weather; aiming for that 12 inches. kitchen garbage ( peelings, lettuce, and apple cores and the like) can go on this mulch for amusement and a little food. Potatoes and sweet potatoes, etc can be cooked and fed.I also feed a little wild bird seed- they love the millet and sunflowers.
thus; instead of buying expensive "chicken cover crop seed" I'm going to start flats-just the old seed flats- with compost as the base- with some of the wild bird seed. I think they will love it. I can start flats inside under lights once it is too cold.Rotating in ( yup just chuck the compost in too) is also adding to what we hope to remove and use next spring as fertilizer for the garden.
We also have a mealworm project going as it's getting too cold to find the earthworms. Jethro, the rooster, is nuts for earthworms- the guineas too!I spent about $2 at petsmart for small mealworms; put them in a box of oatmeal with the top slashed a few times for air; put in a piece of potato or apple for their moisture-add oatmeal as needed.
the family was not happy when they found my little project. oh well.I think I see adults and so I can start feeding the worms to the birds in a few more days.
Next spring we hope to have everyone moved to a chicken tractor. they can till, fertilize and eat bugs right on site. no more hauling stuff. sounds like a plan to me!
Chicken run thoroughly covered with leaves; more loads of leaves to go in. a foot deep would be perfect.( we try for 18 inches in the front area of the goat pen every fall-keeps them dry and they love it too.) Despite all efforts to maintain mulch, the rain just did us in for about 6 weeks. they LOVE the leaves. inside the house; wood shavings and straw. need one more layer before truly cold weather; aiming for that 12 inches. kitchen garbage ( peelings, lettuce, and apple cores and the like) can go on this mulch for amusement and a little food. Potatoes and sweet potatoes, etc can be cooked and fed.I also feed a little wild bird seed- they love the millet and sunflowers.
thus; instead of buying expensive "chicken cover crop seed" I'm going to start flats-just the old seed flats- with compost as the base- with some of the wild bird seed. I think they will love it. I can start flats inside under lights once it is too cold.Rotating in ( yup just chuck the compost in too) is also adding to what we hope to remove and use next spring as fertilizer for the garden.
We also have a mealworm project going as it's getting too cold to find the earthworms. Jethro, the rooster, is nuts for earthworms- the guineas too!I spent about $2 at petsmart for small mealworms; put them in a box of oatmeal with the top slashed a few times for air; put in a piece of potato or apple for their moisture-add oatmeal as needed.
the family was not happy when they found my little project. oh well.I think I see adults and so I can start feeding the worms to the birds in a few more days.
Next spring we hope to have everyone moved to a chicken tractor. they can till, fertilize and eat bugs right on site. no more hauling stuff. sounds like a plan to me!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Time to put it all to bed!
I know it is way too wet to even broadfork the beds this fall. time to put it all to bed and see what we have in the spring; (well, garlic needs to be planted,I'll think about really piling on stuff in that bed to lift it up so the garlic won;t rot. some spinach and arugula growing in the little greenhouse and I moved most of the big herbs in there too.)
you can use leaves. great fertilizer too. chopping them up with your mower will make them stay put better.but if you can;t add the whole leaves!
straw is great-we use it on the garlic especially. and if you use up your newspaper and cardboard on beds, straw makes it look a whole lot nicer.black plastic can go in where you really need to kill weeds. If your like us, weeds and fleas seemed go bonkers this year. don;t ask about the flea wars-let's just say the makers of Frontline and the rest are just taking your money!
Or-gasp-plants. later stuff like peas can still go in. a living cover is easy to dig in or remove to the compost pile in the spring.and all those turnip radish spinach seeds and the like I also sprinkle under the apple trees. Make your own mulch for them!
I like to add compost manure and lime for the spring; but it;s so wet, likely to be a snowy winter, and I think we;ll just wait.I will go out with wood ashes whenever they build up; good for the lawn too.
I like to use compost and manure ont he flower beds now; it should all be good and broken down and safe, for things like the lilies, by spring. Remember not to lime or manure your potato patch area!
next-I'll be hittin' the seed catalogs I guess!
you can use leaves. great fertilizer too. chopping them up with your mower will make them stay put better.but if you can;t add the whole leaves!
straw is great-we use it on the garlic especially. and if you use up your newspaper and cardboard on beds, straw makes it look a whole lot nicer.black plastic can go in where you really need to kill weeds. If your like us, weeds and fleas seemed go bonkers this year. don;t ask about the flea wars-let's just say the makers of Frontline and the rest are just taking your money!
Or-gasp-plants. later stuff like peas can still go in. a living cover is easy to dig in or remove to the compost pile in the spring.and all those turnip radish spinach seeds and the like I also sprinkle under the apple trees. Make your own mulch for them!
I like to add compost manure and lime for the spring; but it;s so wet, likely to be a snowy winter, and I think we;ll just wait.I will go out with wood ashes whenever they build up; good for the lawn too.
I like to use compost and manure ont he flower beds now; it should all be good and broken down and safe, for things like the lilies, by spring. Remember not to lime or manure your potato patch area!
next-I'll be hittin' the seed catalogs I guess!
Monday, August 29, 2011
A fun economics lesson
Going over records, seeing prices in grocery stores, I came to a startling conclusion.
the biggest money saver is-herbs! and you don't even need a garden for herbs-just pots and a sunny place.
If you, like me, have to replace or grow some plants each year ( rosemary and oregano seem to die on me no matter what) then you might spend $20.If yours last better than mine, you might only buy what you don;t have-even less cost.
that;s about the cost of 4 or 5 jars of dry herbs. hm, pretty good trade off.Fresh,frozen and dried from your own plants , grown so you know no chemicals were involved..all good.
But if you like fresh herbs- and we do- buying those packages is about $3 each. And we use several kinds of herbs every week ( sage rosemary oregano thyme basil cilantro parsley dill ) our cost can be $15 a week,
But to be fair, I'll say $10/week. and 1/2 the year, or 26 weeks. That;s $260.
If we gather our herbs for 6 months, it means we have spent $20 and therefore, saved $240.
We actually-put herbs in the greenhouse, then move them in under a light for several months. We freeze basil or pesto. we get more than the $260 worth of herbs...so more than ten times our investment!
Add in the garlic. I figure we use at least 1 head a week, that's $2.00 every 3 weeks or about $34, figuring minimal needs. But I keep the seedstock, and still have about 40 heads to use.or..a minimum of $25 worth a year, and it;s flavorful varieties you just can;t buy in the grocery store.
Here's a cheap way to use garlic-throw some cloves in a pot.( yup even those from the grocery store will usually grow) as the stems come up, pull them and use them instead of garlic, salads, stir fries-green garlic is good!Fresh garlic taste all winter!
You just can;t beat that with a stick!
Remember, pots or garden, to feed your herbs well. I know they say herbs don't need good soil-usually it's plants that don;t like a wet underside. a little bit of white rock mulch under the lavender ( I didn't even add that in-used in herb du provence and of course, smells wonderful cut for the house or used in sachets).but-use that compost, some organic fertilizer, whatever you use for veggie plants....they appreciate it.Water the rosemary only after it is dry. the others seem less fussy.
Some herbs are medicines, most attract butterflies and bees, and dotted through the garden they help keep bad bugs out ( we have almost zero bug damage this year. yes i was surprised.)
an herb garden can be right in your window or on your porch or deck....will provide you with excellent cooking tastes throughout the year, and even-saves money. Wahoo!
the biggest money saver is-herbs! and you don't even need a garden for herbs-just pots and a sunny place.
If you, like me, have to replace or grow some plants each year ( rosemary and oregano seem to die on me no matter what) then you might spend $20.If yours last better than mine, you might only buy what you don;t have-even less cost.
that;s about the cost of 4 or 5 jars of dry herbs. hm, pretty good trade off.Fresh,frozen and dried from your own plants , grown so you know no chemicals were involved..all good.
But if you like fresh herbs- and we do- buying those packages is about $3 each. And we use several kinds of herbs every week ( sage rosemary oregano thyme basil cilantro parsley dill ) our cost can be $15 a week,
But to be fair, I'll say $10/week. and 1/2 the year, or 26 weeks. That;s $260.
If we gather our herbs for 6 months, it means we have spent $20 and therefore, saved $240.
We actually-put herbs in the greenhouse, then move them in under a light for several months. We freeze basil or pesto. we get more than the $260 worth of herbs...so more than ten times our investment!
Add in the garlic. I figure we use at least 1 head a week, that's $2.00 every 3 weeks or about $34, figuring minimal needs. But I keep the seedstock, and still have about 40 heads to use.or..a minimum of $25 worth a year, and it;s flavorful varieties you just can;t buy in the grocery store.
Here's a cheap way to use garlic-throw some cloves in a pot.( yup even those from the grocery store will usually grow) as the stems come up, pull them and use them instead of garlic, salads, stir fries-green garlic is good!Fresh garlic taste all winter!
You just can;t beat that with a stick!
Remember, pots or garden, to feed your herbs well. I know they say herbs don't need good soil-usually it's plants that don;t like a wet underside. a little bit of white rock mulch under the lavender ( I didn't even add that in-used in herb du provence and of course, smells wonderful cut for the house or used in sachets).but-use that compost, some organic fertilizer, whatever you use for veggie plants....they appreciate it.Water the rosemary only after it is dry. the others seem less fussy.
Some herbs are medicines, most attract butterflies and bees, and dotted through the garden they help keep bad bugs out ( we have almost zero bug damage this year. yes i was surprised.)
an herb garden can be right in your window or on your porch or deck....will provide you with excellent cooking tastes throughout the year, and even-saves money. Wahoo!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Time to replant!
If the summer heat and drought killed off as much of your garden as it did mine, well...it just makes it easier to replant.
Kale and spinach, turnips, peas and green beans -these last 2 added to every bed to help with nitrogen whether you get a crop or not- you can even try for a second crop or potatoes ( you may need a lightweight freeze cover towards the end of growing...try Amazon for 2 of them for about $10.) Remember your compost and organic fertilizer, lime and minerals-whatever you are adding...I put out a few butternut squash; cucumbers might be possible too. some people like beets, arugula and lettuce...be creative.
anything that dies this fall- is just ground cover to be turned in next spring!
Later we will start lettuce and greens to sit in the little green house. it can sometimes keep growing quite well, even into early winter!herbs need to come in, I think. I lose them even with cover.but while redoing herb pots for your kitchen, don;t forget to throw that used up potting soil, compost, etc right into your compost pile. by next spring the whole mix is healthy. I often start seeds in it and do my early pots with it.
my burned up tomatoes are setting new fruit, the peppers are attempting same ( goats ate em. every year-one great escape!)
the dug down trench for potatoes( 10-16 inches) ( then filled in partially with compost and potatoes started, leaving quite a mound of soil to add on top) worked beautifully. lots of lovely yellow potatoes-often 3 or 4 big ones and 10 or more small ones per hill.and the whole bed is so soft I think garlic. or whatever, will be in 7th heaven planted there.
Kale and spinach, turnips, peas and green beans -these last 2 added to every bed to help with nitrogen whether you get a crop or not- you can even try for a second crop or potatoes ( you may need a lightweight freeze cover towards the end of growing...try Amazon for 2 of them for about $10.) Remember your compost and organic fertilizer, lime and minerals-whatever you are adding...I put out a few butternut squash; cucumbers might be possible too. some people like beets, arugula and lettuce...be creative.
anything that dies this fall- is just ground cover to be turned in next spring!
Later we will start lettuce and greens to sit in the little green house. it can sometimes keep growing quite well, even into early winter!herbs need to come in, I think. I lose them even with cover.but while redoing herb pots for your kitchen, don;t forget to throw that used up potting soil, compost, etc right into your compost pile. by next spring the whole mix is healthy. I often start seeds in it and do my early pots with it.
my burned up tomatoes are setting new fruit, the peppers are attempting same ( goats ate em. every year-one great escape!)
the dug down trench for potatoes( 10-16 inches) ( then filled in partially with compost and potatoes started, leaving quite a mound of soil to add on top) worked beautifully. lots of lovely yellow potatoes-often 3 or 4 big ones and 10 or more small ones per hill.and the whole bed is so soft I think garlic. or whatever, will be in 7th heaven planted there.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Use that garlic!
Watching garlic grow is amazing. it shoots up sometimes 2 feet or more. As the days lengthen, it flowers (called scapes.)
We use the scapes as fresh garlic-it is pungent, green and truly fine.You can make a pesto or just chop them up into whatever you need.
There is something else we do..we don;t wait for the garlic to dry up enough to remove from the ground. I'll take the smallest ones and use them-fresh. They have far less skin. they are excellent; moist; just try cooking with them.Chop them up-you;ll have little in the way of skins to remove!
We use the scapes as fresh garlic-it is pungent, green and truly fine.You can make a pesto or just chop them up into whatever you need.
There is something else we do..we don;t wait for the garlic to dry up enough to remove from the ground. I'll take the smallest ones and use them-fresh. They have far less skin. they are excellent; moist; just try cooking with them.Chop them up-you;ll have little in the way of skins to remove!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
WEEDS!
the persistent rains led to a huge number of weeds in the beds. Hard to tell in multi planted beds sometimes.....and it was way too wet to work with any kind of hoe.so..
back to hand weeding. and feeding just about all of it to the chickens.yup, weeds have uses.At least with wet ground the weeds come right up!
all the clover gets laid down as "mulch" around the plants.chickweed and plantain and dock are chicken feed. anything else if it hasn;t gone to seed can go in the compost.
I've finally emptied the kitchen compost into the garden compost ( we separate out kitchen garbage because-the dogs will eat it.) I have to start covering all the beds with a layer of compost-because after all our wet weather, it turned hot. almost 100 degrees 3 days in a row.
now everything out there in the yard is-adobe.Well, on to the next project!
back to hand weeding. and feeding just about all of it to the chickens.yup, weeds have uses.At least with wet ground the weeds come right up!
all the clover gets laid down as "mulch" around the plants.chickweed and plantain and dock are chicken feed. anything else if it hasn;t gone to seed can go in the compost.
I've finally emptied the kitchen compost into the garden compost ( we separate out kitchen garbage because-the dogs will eat it.) I have to start covering all the beds with a layer of compost-because after all our wet weather, it turned hot. almost 100 degrees 3 days in a row.
now everything out there in the yard is-adobe.Well, on to the next project!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Yes you can!
Do the permaculture lists drive you crazy with plants you can;t find?
does the idea of sheet composting leave you cold?
Well that's OK-do what you can!
I planted clover around the apples trees but nothing came up at all ( the drought was really bad last summer). I think I see patches here and there-a year later-but as far as nitrogen fixing, this is a bust. So were the siberian pea trees( died) and...everyone tells me to avoid Russian olive like the plague.
So Geena and I took one of packets of pea seeds and spread them under each tree ( 2 apples 1 jujube 1 medlar, further down-berry bushes). just left them didn;t even poke them into the mulch,. once they are growing madly-only a few tendrils now-we'll cut them and let them lay in place.Nitrogen. and practically free (I bought a variety going out of production, about a dollar for each large packet)
for guard plants ( I allow yarrow, other wild weeds that dig deep to grow in the area, put comfrey under each tree, which is growing well, a mulch and nutrient accumulator) I planted a patch of Jerusalem artichokes. they should spread and deer don't like them. And now, I have put in 3 horseradish plants, also unwelcoming to wildlife- ( several inches of sand and then several inches of compost on top) in the spots where the little cherry bushes didn;t make it. It should be spaced perfectly to stay in sun even as the apples grow larger.And somehow the whole area looked more alive when I was done. Interesting ( the flower plantings from 3 years ago, hellebores and daffodils etc, are going like mad this year. only thing added-compost and minerals.) I believe that rule about gardens "popping" as the soil comes alive-might be true! Certainly the daffodils, daylilies, and butterfly bush a few feet from the newer plantings, are looking spiffy. I haven;t even mulched that area in years. We did dig out the iris-which-returned with a vengeance. if they bloom well, they stay.
I use mints and wild violets for cover in flower gardens-just rip out what you don;t like and throw in the compost pile-a separate pile if you worry about regrowth.
And there is grass. Despite what you have been told, cut grass is just fine as a mulch and fertilizer. the trick is to rake up very thin dry layers on your mulched areas. let it dry-rake it up. it might take a few rakings. It;s worth it. You won;t believe how fast it gets "munched up" by the worms and other critters.
if gathering newspaper and cardboard and covering is too much work, try spreading alfalfa or clover seed (cheap at our co-op) add some compost or organic fertilizer if you can...and then keep cutting the resultant growth all summer and letting it pile up. You will get improvement. the second year, you could plant right through it, or shallowly plow/cultivate it up-cutting the roots. I hope to remember some clover seed to put in my paths this year. Cut for the chickens, the compost pile, or cut and place on the beds as mulch.My little patches of alfalfa are still growing and will be used the same way.
for very tough soil-why not plant turnip or radish seed-cut the tops off in a few weeks and let the roots rot in the soil? it'll leave open areas-. it will help.
so, it isn;t money that will make a food garden, or a forest garden-it's using your noodle, and what is generally waste around your place....coffee and coffee filters in the compost, not just veggies...newspaper and cardboard as free ground cover, weeds for the bugs they attract and the nutrients they accumulate...free manure from your horse of chicken or cow inclined friends...and watch it go!
does the idea of sheet composting leave you cold?
Well that's OK-do what you can!
I planted clover around the apples trees but nothing came up at all ( the drought was really bad last summer). I think I see patches here and there-a year later-but as far as nitrogen fixing, this is a bust. So were the siberian pea trees( died) and...everyone tells me to avoid Russian olive like the plague.
So Geena and I took one of packets of pea seeds and spread them under each tree ( 2 apples 1 jujube 1 medlar, further down-berry bushes). just left them didn;t even poke them into the mulch,. once they are growing madly-only a few tendrils now-we'll cut them and let them lay in place.Nitrogen. and practically free (I bought a variety going out of production, about a dollar for each large packet)
for guard plants ( I allow yarrow, other wild weeds that dig deep to grow in the area, put comfrey under each tree, which is growing well, a mulch and nutrient accumulator) I planted a patch of Jerusalem artichokes. they should spread and deer don't like them. And now, I have put in 3 horseradish plants, also unwelcoming to wildlife- ( several inches of sand and then several inches of compost on top) in the spots where the little cherry bushes didn;t make it. It should be spaced perfectly to stay in sun even as the apples grow larger.And somehow the whole area looked more alive when I was done. Interesting ( the flower plantings from 3 years ago, hellebores and daffodils etc, are going like mad this year. only thing added-compost and minerals.) I believe that rule about gardens "popping" as the soil comes alive-might be true! Certainly the daffodils, daylilies, and butterfly bush a few feet from the newer plantings, are looking spiffy. I haven;t even mulched that area in years. We did dig out the iris-which-returned with a vengeance. if they bloom well, they stay.
I use mints and wild violets for cover in flower gardens-just rip out what you don;t like and throw in the compost pile-a separate pile if you worry about regrowth.
And there is grass. Despite what you have been told, cut grass is just fine as a mulch and fertilizer. the trick is to rake up very thin dry layers on your mulched areas. let it dry-rake it up. it might take a few rakings. It;s worth it. You won;t believe how fast it gets "munched up" by the worms and other critters.
if gathering newspaper and cardboard and covering is too much work, try spreading alfalfa or clover seed (cheap at our co-op) add some compost or organic fertilizer if you can...and then keep cutting the resultant growth all summer and letting it pile up. You will get improvement. the second year, you could plant right through it, or shallowly plow/cultivate it up-cutting the roots. I hope to remember some clover seed to put in my paths this year. Cut for the chickens, the compost pile, or cut and place on the beds as mulch.My little patches of alfalfa are still growing and will be used the same way.
for very tough soil-why not plant turnip or radish seed-cut the tops off in a few weeks and let the roots rot in the soil? it'll leave open areas-. it will help.
so, it isn;t money that will make a food garden, or a forest garden-it's using your noodle, and what is generally waste around your place....coffee and coffee filters in the compost, not just veggies...newspaper and cardboard as free ground cover, weeds for the bugs they attract and the nutrients they accumulate...free manure from your horse of chicken or cow inclined friends...and watch it go!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Permaculture
I was planting peas around the apple trees ( and jujube and medlar) to chop up later for mulch/nitrogen,when I looked around and realized i was doing better than I thought. yes, all the tiny shrubs died in the extreme heat and drought last summer; the clover never came up; but so much else is working so well.
Natural yarrow (nutrient accumulator)and other interesting weeds pop up here and there. the comfrey( does it all- the bomb. food, nutrients, mulch) is doing wonderfully well and if the cosmos( for the butterflies) doesn;t come back, I'll re-sow that. the berry beds have stayed mulched, and when we cut grass in the summer I just pile it on to the plants for more mulch ( it stays dry and does not rot; a light mulching technique works fine).I could start some perennial onions or garlic here and there; and other flowers.Seed packets. Cheap.
In addition to the jerusalem artichoke patch( mulch material, food if wanted, and barrier plant), this year i plan to add horseradish patch. bug control and deer control-yeah. the horseradish needs a deeply dug spot-good drainage( a few inches of sand) and then lots of compost on top of that.I won;t replace the currants until the apple trees are creating more shade.By using peas, etc, and mulching in or allowing dieback of those plants, I might not need to try exotic nitrogen fixing shrubs. just cherries and currants :)
and right next to all of this busy-ness is a flower garden that complements and extends what we are trying to do. Butterfly bush and pine cone flowers are excellent for the butterflies; the daylilies and iris ( we dug it all up. fat chance)well, so now we have about 40 new iris plants refilling the space!) and the daylilies spread over the daffodils as they die back, providing enough shade to keep the plant green as long as possible-meaning larger blooms next year.Actually the daylilies now are mulch, groundcover, and exhibition quality flowers,and really have taken to the site beautifully.We plowed it once-7 years ago. a little mulch or fertilizer now and then if we thought of it. that's it.
Eventually I would like the grass replaced by clover or alfalfa;we'll see how that goes.
Natural honeysuckle covers ground behind the fruit trees, as well as wild berry bushes and the cedars, pine trees and hardwoods.
this is becoming a diversified and highly productive area; and it's beautiful too.
Permaculture does not have to be hard work, or expensive. Just shift how you think; plant various perennials which help each other-and watch it all go!
Natural yarrow (nutrient accumulator)and other interesting weeds pop up here and there. the comfrey( does it all- the bomb. food, nutrients, mulch) is doing wonderfully well and if the cosmos( for the butterflies) doesn;t come back, I'll re-sow that. the berry beds have stayed mulched, and when we cut grass in the summer I just pile it on to the plants for more mulch ( it stays dry and does not rot; a light mulching technique works fine).I could start some perennial onions or garlic here and there; and other flowers.Seed packets. Cheap.
In addition to the jerusalem artichoke patch( mulch material, food if wanted, and barrier plant), this year i plan to add horseradish patch. bug control and deer control-yeah. the horseradish needs a deeply dug spot-good drainage( a few inches of sand) and then lots of compost on top of that.I won;t replace the currants until the apple trees are creating more shade.By using peas, etc, and mulching in or allowing dieback of those plants, I might not need to try exotic nitrogen fixing shrubs. just cherries and currants :)
and right next to all of this busy-ness is a flower garden that complements and extends what we are trying to do. Butterfly bush and pine cone flowers are excellent for the butterflies; the daylilies and iris ( we dug it all up. fat chance)well, so now we have about 40 new iris plants refilling the space!) and the daylilies spread over the daffodils as they die back, providing enough shade to keep the plant green as long as possible-meaning larger blooms next year.Actually the daylilies now are mulch, groundcover, and exhibition quality flowers,and really have taken to the site beautifully.We plowed it once-7 years ago. a little mulch or fertilizer now and then if we thought of it. that's it.
Eventually I would like the grass replaced by clover or alfalfa;we'll see how that goes.
Natural honeysuckle covers ground behind the fruit trees, as well as wild berry bushes and the cedars, pine trees and hardwoods.
this is becoming a diversified and highly productive area; and it's beautiful too.
Permaculture does not have to be hard work, or expensive. Just shift how you think; plant various perennials which help each other-and watch it all go!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Time for potatoes
yup, order them, go to your farm or seed store, or get out the greenish ones out of your cupboard ( those sometimes don;t work) set them in a single layer where they get some sun; once the green growth starts you are good to go.( greening them up first is called chitting. )
I used potato bags last year. easy and fun. but in super hot super droughty conditions, the potatoes did not reach full size in the last weeks. While i still recommend the bags, i am doing something really weird this year.
planting in rows in deeply dug trenches. And covering as they grow, into nice big hills.( trenches almost a foot with at least an inch of compost in the bottom)
I figure the bulk of soil will keep them cooler. Potatoes don;t like temps over 90 degrees.
I'll be putting compost and organic fertilizer in their bottom inch of soil, and adding a comfrey and nettle mulch before the heavy duty filling in goes on.(FEED potatoes. seriously)
this may seem like too much work for some-they are still kind of cheap at the grocery store. But you can grow varieties you have never seen at the supermarket-with far better taste, and moist and fresh from the ground.it's supposed to be quite a good return also on pounds per pound planted-if you make sure they have what they need! and if the trenches/row/hills are built up enough, I can forego the straw and that might be a good thing too. Wasn;t happy with growing them in straw.
I guess giving in to some old ideas-that work-is a good thing. I ordered hybrid tomato seed too-and cucumber, etc-to get a jump on disease etc. live and learn!
I used potato bags last year. easy and fun. but in super hot super droughty conditions, the potatoes did not reach full size in the last weeks. While i still recommend the bags, i am doing something really weird this year.
planting in rows in deeply dug trenches. And covering as they grow, into nice big hills.( trenches almost a foot with at least an inch of compost in the bottom)
I figure the bulk of soil will keep them cooler. Potatoes don;t like temps over 90 degrees.
I'll be putting compost and organic fertilizer in their bottom inch of soil, and adding a comfrey and nettle mulch before the heavy duty filling in goes on.(FEED potatoes. seriously)
this may seem like too much work for some-they are still kind of cheap at the grocery store. But you can grow varieties you have never seen at the supermarket-with far better taste, and moist and fresh from the ground.it's supposed to be quite a good return also on pounds per pound planted-if you make sure they have what they need! and if the trenches/row/hills are built up enough, I can forego the straw and that might be a good thing too. Wasn;t happy with growing them in straw.
I guess giving in to some old ideas-that work-is a good thing. I ordered hybrid tomato seed too-and cucumber, etc-to get a jump on disease etc. live and learn!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Buying seed.
If you are still perusing catalogs and websites, please take a look at a site with some very nice folks who are involved with farmers worldwide.
www.bountifulgardens.org
and remember-heirlooms are great, but choose plants with good disease resistance if you are having problems.This may mean hybrids.so, you can;t save the seeds.....but you'll get a crop. things to ponder.
www.bountifulgardens.org
and remember-heirlooms are great, but choose plants with good disease resistance if you are having problems.This may mean hybrids.so, you can;t save the seeds.....but you'll get a crop. things to ponder.
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