The garden of 2008 has proven to be very informative. Because of all the spring rain, everything got started late. This year some plants were started indoors. This proved rather futile. It would seem there are aspects of this technique that are not fully understood yet. Then there was a problem with tillage. This update covers what has been found to date and other information that might prove useful to others. Images are at the end with descriptions.
Starting Plants Indoors
The problems encountered with starting seeds indoors were twofold. The seedlings became spindly and the attempts to harden off these spindly seedlings proved fatal. I believe, now, that a grow light should be used once the seeds sprouted. I think the seedlings needed more light to build bulk. Hardening off the seedlings was just a matter of scheduling. They were initially left out too long.
Tillage
Soils conditions are heavy clay. The gardens were tilled early in the spring. However, they were not planted for quite some time due to record rainfall. The heavy rains caused the soil to become compacted again. An Earthway seeder is used to plant the larger row crops. This unit only works in well tilled soil. Its mechanism is passive and requires the soil to be loose enough that little pressure is required to run it through a row.
Imagine two wheels, a parting blade, and a small drag chain, all mounted on a light weight frame (maybe 6-8 lbs.). As the unit is pushed along, the parting blade makes a small furrow. The seed is dropped through the blade. The chain is dragged after the seed has dropped and closes the furrow.
Once the soil became compacted, the blade can no longer make the furrow. The unit has neither the structural strength nor the weight to break the soil. If the soil is broken, the chain does nothing to move the large size pieces back into the furrow. An attempt to plant was made anyway. Only 15%-20% of the seed sprouted.
After seeing the results of the first planting, half the area of the row crops was re-tilled and replanted. The other half can serve as the control and the new half will hopefully prove the better technique.
Successful Experiments
After deciding raised bed planting will be the best strategy, weed clothe was used to simulate the beds. It will be some time before raised beds can be produced. So, the experiment was designed to test the weed clothe and placement of beds.
As can be seen in the photos, several techniques were used. Each piece of clothe is 10’ long. After burying the edges, the growing area is approximately 4’ x 8’. This is the proposed size of the raised beds. The clothe was placed almost 3’ apart. This would allow for the walls of the raised bed and space to run a tiller between beds on the sides and ends.
Several ideas for making holes were used. A combination cutter/dibber was fashioned from the scrap pile. Some beds have holes for each plant. Some have short slits like a dashed line, and some have long slits. It was found that the holes and short slits worked well. However, the long slits do not. The long slits required a number of staples to keep the clothe tight to the ground. If it is not tight to the ground, weeds will still grow at the slits. The short slits simulated having staples placed along a long slit.
BT was used this year to great success. Some Colorado Potatoe bugs have been spotted. But, after two treatments of BT, they virtually disappeared. As of this date, some larvae have returned calling for another treatment.
Lessons Learned
The lessons learned this year are as follows:
- Plant as soon as possible after tilling
- Grow lights for starting seeds indoors
- Harden off plants very, very gradually
- Holes and shorts slits, not long slits
- Start seeds around late January or early February
- Cultivate often to keep the soil from compacting
This is the big garden. Lots of extra unwanted growth. But generally out of harms way and/or in a position to be power cultivated. Irrigation system (as previously described in the Irrigation Blog) is shown in place. Note the use of sawdust. It was found that it did not stop the weeds even at several inches thick. Certain weeds thrived in it. However, it was found that walking on the sawdust avoids picking up mud. So, work could be performed, even after a hard rain, without getting muddy shoes.
Another view of the big garden.
This is the row crop garden. As can be seen on the right, planting was unsuccessful. To the left was re-tilled and replanted.
Long slits proved messy except for lettuce plantings.
Holes.
Short slits.
Holes in the small garden.
This is the Dibber/cutter used with the weed clothe.
Cutting end of the dibber.
-- arborial reconfiguration specialist......Zone out....(USA 5)
10 comments so far
MsDebbieP
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2988 posts in 412 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 61 days ago
quite the year you’ve had. You sure do have determination.
I liked reading about the experiment with different kinds of “slits”... good to know!
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
Bob
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500 posts in 160 days
hardiness zone 3b
posted 60 days ago
That black paper is a real garden killer.
You will have unbearble temperatures even on a dul day.
It doesn’t look like you amended that grotty looking soil at all before attempting to garden in it.
Maybe a smaller plot next year and more attention to the soil and ground cover could help.
Bob
-- I am a strong believer in luck and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. Alberta Canada Zone 3A or maybe 3B
MsDebbieP
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2988 posts in 412 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 60 days ago
I was just reading in Mother Earth News, I think it was, that planting in bails for a year will make an area (grass/hard soil that is underneath the bail) workable the next year. Sounds like that method would save a lot of backbreaking work.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
Catspaw
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153 posts in 208 days
posted 60 days ago
The weed clothe is supposed to be covered by sawdust. I can’t get my boss to take time to bring it out from the shop. What is seen in the photos is what I’ve brought home in small tubs in the trunk of my car. So the experiment was to see what it does for weeds.
As stated previously in this series, I’m planning on going with raised beds. So, I’m not going to amend soil that isn’t going to be growing anything. It’s a waste of resources. Each seeds hole was amended as they were planted. To date they grow better than any store-bought.
As far as the row crops, they will amend themselves in time as cover crops are tilled under each spring. You can’t amend acres of soil at a time (this area is only 1/2 acre.) If the soil will not grow a crop properly, then I need to either find a different crop or learn how to grow what I want in the soil I have.
I will be expanding my growing area each year. Hopefully, as I can raise beds and create my own compost/soil conditions specific to each beds crop, my efforts will be concentrated where they are needed. Once the old barn is demolished, the many years worth of manure on the floor will provide much better conditions for a hoop house or houses in a different location.
As can be seen in the second photo, the area of the big garden is better suited for a pond. Until then I’m getting alot of knowledge with my experiments without being burdened by the stresses of production quotas.
-- arborial reconfiguration specialist......Zone out....(USA 5)
MsDebbieP
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2988 posts in 412 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 60 days ago
it’s like “detective work”... figuring out what works best for your land. Kind of exciting!
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
GrandmaT
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2580 posts in 290 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 60 days ago
Personally I am impressed with your experiments and whole thought process. There is so much to farming a large “place” and having it be “successful”. Aspects that I know for one I am ignorant of and would need much schooling on. I personally am in awe of the farmers and their knowledge … and very appreciative for the hard work and food that they provide the world with.
-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b
Catspaw
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153 posts in 208 days
posted 59 days ago
An interesting side note to all this.
We have many deer trails across our property. One of which unfortunately is right through the big garden. Very often deer tracks are found in and about the garden.
It was noticed, however, after placing the weed clothe, a curious thing happened. Normally deer tracks would simply go through the garden and whatever was planted there. Now it seems, the tracks will go up to, then, around the weed clothe! For some reason, the deer don’t walk on the clothe.
I think I’m going to experiment with the row crops. I want to expand the area anyway. I’m wondering if I stake out an 8’ wide strip of black plastic all around the garden. I might kill to birds with one stone. Cook off more vegatation AND keep the deer out. (Yes, I know they could easily jump the 8’....the question is…would they think to do it or just think it’s icky to walk on the plastic?)
The other alternative that started going through my mind involved trip wires and incendiary devices. More interesting but I’m sure some one would probably find some law against it.
-- arborial reconfiguration specialist......Zone out....(USA 5)
MsDebbieP
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2988 posts in 412 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 59 days ago
very interesting about the cloth. It would move under their feet I guess.. and it’s black, perhaps looking/feeling like yucky water?
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
Bob
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500 posts in 160 days
hardiness zone 3b
posted 59 days ago
Well, I stand corrected re the soil cloth. From you pics it was hard to tell and given the poor showing, it resembled what happens when non porous materials used.
I should have read the fine print.
Notwithstanding, the soil looks like it needs amending before being pressed into use for gardening.
Sawdust will amend it but bring alot of chemicals with it like tanins and turpines etc so you really have to know what is in it before you spread it.
As I am a converted trencher I would back hoe the trenches to at least 18” and mix straw and soil together with whatever amendment your soil tests suggest and let it rest over the winter. (peat or vermiculite etc)
Bob
-- I am a strong believer in luck and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. Alberta Canada Zone 3A or maybe 3B
Catspaw
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153 posts in 208 days
posted 58 days ago
True, Bob, but nothing different than happens in any wooded area. Since I’m a millwright, I know everything that’s in our sawdust pile. It will mainly suck the nitrogen out. That’s why I harvest all the lawn clippings I make. Also the sawdust isn’t really for the garden growing space. It would be outside the space until composted with other additives.
The boss was telling me about a neighbor that lines his paths around his raised beds with saw dust and cycles it into the beds after it’s done it’s thing for a year.
All info to be used in the future. I don’t know how fast I can get my raised beds going the way “things” [in the world] are going. But then I’m looking at years [even at my age] rather than trying to get everything accomplished right now. It’s hard to do sometimes when it would appear everyone is trying to destroy the earth. Even I think it’s a little strange to be thinking about case lots of ammo. But I digress.
-- arborial reconfiguration specialist......Zone out....(USA 5)