Soil

Day 88 – Patty Pan Push Lasagna Bed Further Ahead

2011/07/28

Day 88 – Patty Pan Push Lasagna Bed Further Ahead

A couple of more pattypan squash have pushed the lasagna bed even further ahead, at almost 2.5 pounds (1.13kg) total yield from this gardening technique. I remember over fourty years ago getting ready for “the coming of the metric system”. Now, thankfully – we’re seeing it replacing the imperial system with popular foods measured in whole metric amounts (2 litres of beverage, 1 litre of cooking oil, etc.), glad I had those lessons, wish I remembered them – but I digress. Patty pan squash, aka pattypan, cibleme, scallopini, button squash, and others (see wikipedia for details), is similar in texture and flavor to zucchini squash. They are often picked when they are no more than three inches in diameter (76mm). At this stage, the seeds are immature enough tthat they are similar in texture to the rest of the squash and are cooked and eaten with no difficulty. When grown beyond three inches, the seeds become tougher, the insides start to become...

Day 85 – Lasagna Bed Takes the Lead

2011/07/25

Day 85 – Lasagna Bed Takes the Lead

After a weekend away, the lasagna bed pulled ahead in the race for the most produce, with the hugelkultur bed surpassing the box bed by a little less than an ounce. Bringing up the rear is the leaky wicking bed. Putting the soaker hose on trickle for the wicking bed hoping that it will begin to produce in earnest and at least come in line with the lasagna bed and the other beds. There is evidence of the rabbit I’d seen tasting our green beans, nibbling 1/2 a bean and leaving the rest. The potato plants are starting to turn, meaning that in a couple of weeks it will be time to harvest – they have already cut them back in Deerfield, MA* which is usually two weeks ahead of Goshen, MA. The carrots have begun to emerge in the insulated container garden, and I will have to hook up either some shade cloth or something shiny to scare away...

Day 13 and Transplanting Stawberry hacks.

2011/05/14

Day 13 and Transplanting Stawberry hacks.

Cleanup day. Spent the 30 minutes cleaning up the wicking bed. Weeds pulled up easily, thanks to the good soil and getting to them early. With the impending rain, I also decided it was time to start moving the strawberries to their new home in the comfrey bed. The strawberries and the comfrey are not a part of the thirty minute challenge, but I thought I’d write about them anyway, since weeding is a rather mindless task, like washing dishes: it has to be done, and it’s a great time to think, or listen to the news. The strawberries are in an over grown area of the garden that is being moved. I am surprised that they came up, after digging under them with a shovel and then trying to tease the strawberry roots out. The hack here is a good time saver when you’re separating the strawberries from the root ball: Have a 4″ or better spike? Hold...

30 Minutes – Day 3 – RAIN

2011/05/04

RAIN. ”You can’t solve rain.” – So says Merlin Mann in his latest “Back to Work” segment. Incredible to listen to him resolve issues – he’s able to verbalize thought processes like nobody I know. But enough about that – onto the next 30 minutes of gardening. You do NOT want to prepare beds in the rain. The dirt is heavy, you compact any soil you step on, and if you’re using a tiller, you’ll create “hard pan”: a compacted area under your bed that behaves like cement, not allowing water to flow or roots to penetrate. It is good to be inside, sorting and gathering seeds, filling pots with potting soil and starting seeds. 30 minutes spent gathering the potting soil, finding the seeds, the pots and the other necessities. Potting soil is basically soil, perlite or vermiculite and peat moss. You can substitute “coir” for the peat moss, or use leaf mould (well rotted leaves that...

All About Strawberries

2010/07/21

All About Strawberries

“…There are three major types of strawberries, though if you counted, youd find over six hundred varieties! Different shapes, sizes, colors and growing habits differentiate these wonderful treats. The major types of strawberries are: June Bearing either early, mid or late Day Neutral bearing throughout the season Alpine small, but packed with flavor! …” via All About Strawberries.

In the Garden – Upside-Down Crops Are Growing in Popularity – NYTimes.com

2010/05/23

In the Garden – Upside-Down Crops Are Growing in Popularity – NYTimes.com

Ah, the upside down garden! Love it, hate it. Here’s the positives: Less space needed, no digging, no weeds! Here’s the negatives: Need something strong enough to hold them up, need to water them regularly and often, limited soil, and therefore limited harvest. Still, I may do another one, if I can figure out what small plants I can use, and how I can have them watered “automatically”. In the Garden – Upside-Down Crops Are Growing in Popularity – NYTimes.com.

New Years resolutions for gardeners – San Jose Mercury News

2010/01/05

The National Gardening Association estimates that 19 percent more people grew vegetables in 2009 than in 2008. While experienced gardeners may adhere easily to their annual gardening resolutions, new gardeners will see real results by following through on the following suggestions.If this list seems a little daunting, try picking just one or two resolutions for this year. Once youve appreciated the results and these gardening tasks have become habit, it will be easier to add a few more resolutions to your annual list. via New Years resolutions for gardeners – San Jose Mercury News.

Fast Cooking Compost Pile

2009/10/24

Want a really fast cooking compost pile? Here’s all you need: 1/3 horse manure 2/3 leaves or grass If you don’t have ready access to a barnyard, substitute a high N product, such as blood meal. via Fast Cooking Compost Pile .

How to Make Hot Compost : Planet Green

2009/10/24

How to Make Hot Compost : Planet Green

How to Make Hot Compost : Planet Green. The Hack: “…Insulate: Lining the sides and top of your heap with cardboard can help keep temperatures up …” Great idea! You can find corrugated cardboard at most retail establishments, and many of them will be happy to give you as much as you need. NOTE: some of the larger establishments actually bundle the cardboard and get paid for it – these places won’t be so inclined to give you the cardboard, but think of it as a better solution for the planet.

Make a Compost Bin from an Old Storage Tub : Planet Green

2009/10/24

Make a Compost Bin from an Old Storage Tub : Planet Green

From Planet Green, a simple DIY project to make a composting bin from an old storage bin. Be sure it’s at least 3 cu. ft so that it’ll heat up properly. You’ll also have to turn the pile once a week. You can incorporate worms the easy way by cutting out the bottom and letting them find it themselves (as long as it’s not sitting on your porch – which would be a bad idea anyway), and you really didn’t need all of those “treasures” that were sitting in that bin anyway, right? Just don’t let the kids see you emptying their old toys at the Salvation Army – you’ll never live it down. Make a Compost Bin from an Old Storage Tub : Planet Green.

4 Square feet = 100 lbs of potatoes?

2009/10/04

4 Square feet = 100 lbs of potatoes?

(right-click on the pic and “view image” to see full instructions) On many occasions, I’ve been tempted to grow my own potatoes. They’re fairly low maintenance, can be grown in a pot or in the ground, last a fairly long time if stored properly, and can be very nutritious (high in potassium and vitamin C). Here’s more incentive: according to this article, you can grow 100 pounds of potatoes in 4 sq. feet. The Hack: Add another side and soil (or hay/grass clippings) every time the plant grows one ft. Makes it easier in the long run than using a cage. If you’re going to be doing this on a regular basis, making a “Lincoln Log” style bin would be easier, since you wouldn’t need to use the screws, just stack and fill! via: re-nest.com

The Lompoc Record

2009/10/03

The Lompoc Record

“… Rather than the brawny, sprawling crops of summer that bear fruits, pods, ears and gourds, winter vegetables tend to be small and offer up leaves, flowers and roots. Most take up less space, don’t require as much sunlight and are content to grow in containers. A number of these cool-season crops can also be easily sown from seed. Indeed, a new industry group, the Home Garden Seed Association, has conveniently begun promoting a list of what it calls the 10 easiest winter vegetables to grow from seed: beets, calendulas, cilantro, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, salad greens, spinach and Swiss chard. …” The Hack: Grow these cooler weather crops in containers so you can bring them inside for continued growing (be sure there’s enough room and light available!) Note: With less sun, you’ll find it takes longer for plants to mature. via The Lompoc Record.

Tims Tips: Preparing the garden for colder days ahead – NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA

2009/09/23

Tims Tips: Preparing the garden for colder days aheadTims TipsTim LampreyAs September rolls to a close, we have to begin thinking about the dreaded “w” word. Yes, it isnt too early to start to think about winter.Eventually, we will get a frost that will kill off all the vegetation, including many of the vegetables in our gardens. When this happens, its time to pull up the dead plants. Any plants that were diseased should be thrown away, not added to the compost pile. via Tims Tips: Preparing the garden for colder days ahead – NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA.

Clever plot – Gardening is Now Fashionable

2009/09/21

And if it’s fashionable in Europe this fall, you know that in spring it’ll be the rage in the US… Okay, so it already is here, with urban gardens, people converting their front yards into beautiful plots with decorative peppers and cabbages, etc. ”…The Scottish Women’s Rural Institutes (SWRI) has created an easy-to-follow guide to help tackle all gardening issues, from choosing a suitable site and preparing your soil to raising and caring for your plants. …” Clever plot – Press & Journal.

Comfrey – Heal Your Garden, Heal Yourself

2009/08/14

Comfrey – Heal Your Garden, Heal Yourself

A comprehensive lens on Squidoo that highlights the many uses of comfrey. How to grow it, how to get rid of it, how to use it in your garden as well as in your medicine cabinet. Comfrey – Heal Your Garden, Heal Yourself.

Small Footprint, Big Yield

2009/07/31

Small Footprint, Big Yield

Some of the best use of space I’ve seen in a long time. Even though I’m blessed with almost one acre of land, a lot of it is taken up by play areas or swamp for half the season. The rest of the lawn is “harvested” for mulch. If I had the wood, I’d build at least one of these just to increase the yield in the sunnier parts of my garden. The Hack: make a high-rise tiered garden to increase your useable space. Small Footprint, Big Yield: Create an Easy Micro Organic Urban Garden Today! | Urban Gardens | Unlimited Thinking For Limited Spaces.

Richard Nunnallys Gardening Q&A | Richmond Times-Dispatch

2009/07/31

Richard Nunnallys Gardening Q&A | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Q:What suggestions do you have for controlling weeds and undesirable grasses in asparagus and strawberry beds? Crabgrass has also infiltrated the liriope in my borders. The Hack: Pulling the weeds and mulching, according to Richard. My best solutions are newspaper (5 layers) as a killing mulch + lawn clippings (if you don’t spray your lawn) or straw mulch on top. Asparagus, as Richard says is more difficult, due to the ferns – but my hack is to crowd the weeds out with low growing tomatoes like Red Robin or others that normally grow in containers – the smaller the better. They may not produce much, but you’ll find the companion planting will produce robust asparagus next year! via Richard Nunnallys Gardening Q&A | Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Grow your own borscht: Planning a fall vegetable garden

2009/07/27

Grow your own borscht: Planning a fall vegetable garden

We’re not in Virginia, but the same ideas apply. The Hack: Make use of your garden into the fall and beyond by planning and planting cooler weather crops now. Grow your own borscht: Planning a fall vegetable garden.

Less sweat for the yield? Try perennial fruits and veggies: Times Argus Online

2009/07/27

I’ve been “cultivating” some of the thornless raspberries I found on my property for the last several years – just ran a lawn mower through the middle of ’em since they didn’t yield at all. Did find some better perfoming ones at the nearby daycare center with thorns, though so if they’re willing to let me dig, I may have an alternative next year. The blackberries I started via transplants are doing well, though, so I won’t mow them down, and will try to keep them “tamed” with stakes and lines (a 3.5 foot “T” on either side of the row with a line on either side of the top of the “T” – chop off anything that gets out of line), but – onto the hack: don’t replant, just weed and feed these beds year after year for delicious fruits Less sweat for the yield? Try perennial fruits and veggies: Times Argus Online.

Free Info in Sustainability Permaculture Visions

2009/07/26

Free Info in Sustainability Permaculture Visions

Free is good! Free Info in Sustainability Permaculture Visions.

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