Well, was hot. then it was dry for weeks. finally some rain and far cooler weather. I worried, but everything is growing just fine. I am glad I took a chance and planted early ( last frost date here May 5 to May 15 depending on what schedule you find)
I'm picking radishes- lots of them. and we are eating lovely lettuce. Swiss chard won;t be much longer.
I don;t take the radish greens to the compost pile. I simply lay it on any bare spot in the poly-culture beds. We;ve worked to build great soil- the critters can make compost for you right in place!why move it around?
We did have to apply some NEEM to the apple trees. saw a few fungusy spots. they seem fine now.
We supplied tomatoes plants for 5 families, basil plants for 4, and gave a ton of heirloom seed to yet another. it is such a simple thing- to grow a few extra plants- costs you nothing...helps all of us.
Polyculture
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Water, water
Maybe it's the early heat or the lack of rain that has caused me to have to think..or the decisions...hold the tomatoes another week? wait to make sure there are no more 35 degree nights? hm.( they;ll be 2- 3 weeks ahead of schedule- the lettuce and radishes and carrots- a month early. not complaining here. covered everything 2 nights so far. no damage.)
You know baby plants need regular water at least in the first few weeks, and at least in the top layer, to set their little roots. no playing games with making them drought proof, by only watering once a week... ( and that;s why the grass didn;t come up the last time you threw out grass seed, right? 21 days of water-who could stand it)
You know as the plants get bigger, they shade the ground more, they send their roots deeper, and the 1 inch per week rule seems to work.
And if you have enriched the beds organically, with manure and compost, you know the ground will hold water better.
But what occurred to me is..if I'm not watering the prepared beds, even without seeds or plants..what is happening to all that underground life I have encouraged....earthworms, fungi, etc. don;t they need water too?Aren;t they baked by the sun, dried by the wind?
And if organically rich soil holds water better...doesn;t it need more water to be properly life supporting?
Hm. proper soil should be just like cake crumbs if you pick some up- not too dry not soaking wet."misting" seedlings aint gonna do that.I want it as moist as it was when I first broadforked it.....
If the mulch had been left in place, it wouldn;t be so severe a problem.but I had planting and broadforking to do- wasn;t going to waste a month of above average temps.
And even if you have to pay for water ( we don;t) I would submit-keeping those beds in shape....will pay off later when it is so hot but the garden is well established. That is, get the moisture up now while temps are in your favor, and it'll be far less watering to keep it up in June and July, and who knows, by then maybe we;ll be getting rain again.
How do you know how much is enough? I use the method proposed by some organic gardeners who only water 15 minutes at a time, with a good tall legged waterer ( mine broke, the next one the deer ran over..I'm down to a nozzle and the hose....) twice or more a day. no, I don;t water twice a day. it's once a day now and I hope to back off to every other day after the next rain. which MIGHT be this weekend.
I use my little nozzle, a bit misty so as not to turn seedlings over...but strong enough to sweep at least one bed at a time with a gentle back and forth motion.( mine are ten feet long). I spend about ten minutes on each bed ( holy cow? yeah. holy cow) I wait until the shiny look ( not standing water but where there is that little bit on the surface) holds for 15seconds. Ok if your nerves can;t stand it, ten seconds.go and check it every day.After a week of keeping your beds up, seeing those tomatoes or corn plants growing there, in your mind;s eye-stick your hand in the soil. see how far down the properly moist soil goes. Actually I think you;ll be surprised by how good it really is. if still dry-well...you are going to have to spend at least a day or two really deep watering. or praying for rain.
given enough water, you will see plant growth explode even in cool conditions..the earthworms will be busy tunneling....things will be happening. Even though you can;t see it.
You know baby plants need regular water at least in the first few weeks, and at least in the top layer, to set their little roots. no playing games with making them drought proof, by only watering once a week... ( and that;s why the grass didn;t come up the last time you threw out grass seed, right? 21 days of water-who could stand it)
You know as the plants get bigger, they shade the ground more, they send their roots deeper, and the 1 inch per week rule seems to work.
And if you have enriched the beds organically, with manure and compost, you know the ground will hold water better.
But what occurred to me is..if I'm not watering the prepared beds, even without seeds or plants..what is happening to all that underground life I have encouraged....earthworms, fungi, etc. don;t they need water too?Aren;t they baked by the sun, dried by the wind?
And if organically rich soil holds water better...doesn;t it need more water to be properly life supporting?
Hm. proper soil should be just like cake crumbs if you pick some up- not too dry not soaking wet."misting" seedlings aint gonna do that.I want it as moist as it was when I first broadforked it.....
If the mulch had been left in place, it wouldn;t be so severe a problem.but I had planting and broadforking to do- wasn;t going to waste a month of above average temps.
And even if you have to pay for water ( we don;t) I would submit-keeping those beds in shape....will pay off later when it is so hot but the garden is well established. That is, get the moisture up now while temps are in your favor, and it'll be far less watering to keep it up in June and July, and who knows, by then maybe we;ll be getting rain again.
How do you know how much is enough? I use the method proposed by some organic gardeners who only water 15 minutes at a time, with a good tall legged waterer ( mine broke, the next one the deer ran over..I'm down to a nozzle and the hose....) twice or more a day. no, I don;t water twice a day. it's once a day now and I hope to back off to every other day after the next rain. which MIGHT be this weekend.
I use my little nozzle, a bit misty so as not to turn seedlings over...but strong enough to sweep at least one bed at a time with a gentle back and forth motion.( mine are ten feet long). I spend about ten minutes on each bed ( holy cow? yeah. holy cow) I wait until the shiny look ( not standing water but where there is that little bit on the surface) holds for 15seconds. Ok if your nerves can;t stand it, ten seconds.go and check it every day.After a week of keeping your beds up, seeing those tomatoes or corn plants growing there, in your mind;s eye-stick your hand in the soil. see how far down the properly moist soil goes. Actually I think you;ll be surprised by how good it really is. if still dry-well...you are going to have to spend at least a day or two really deep watering. or praying for rain.
given enough water, you will see plant growth explode even in cool conditions..the earthworms will be busy tunneling....things will be happening. Even though you can;t see it.
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