What did you do in the garden today?

[lazy gardener]

LG, that Paul dude that first got notice for this method uses 15-18 in. of the wood chip in his orchard....but he hasn't had to add any to that for all these many years. Will you be going that depth there? I wonder if he did that because the tree roots mine for nutrition so deeply that he would need more composting above them for that reason?

I'm so very glad someone else is using this method along with me on our forum so we can compare results and tips! Don't you just love seeing results this quickly??? I was despairing at times this summer due to the chips not being composted enough for me to use the method effectively, but this fall I see hope....and I can't WAIT until spring to try this garden out again!

I'm going to be doing some lime on this stuff this winter....the Paul guy didn't say anything about that but I'm wondering if his clay soil is alkaline and that's the reason his compost is now so perfectly balanced? Mine is very acidic, so was wondering if I would need to try and balance that...I'm thinking of messaging their site to see if they will answer that question.

No, I'll not be going that deep. I'll be pleased with 6" over a base of cardboard. I have about 4 bags of lime sitting in the garage, as well as a 30 gal. trash can full of ashes. I can't think of a better thing to do with that lime than to put some over the chips in the orchard. I'd really ought to test the soil first. But... I tend to do everything in my life backwards. If you do get response from him, please come back here and share.

The worms are finally penetrating the hard packed clay in what was the chicken run surrounded by electronet. So good to see those little volcanoes in the morning that show where they've come out for their little romantic escapades!

 

[Beekissed]

As I pulled those weeds from my garden the other day I kept seeing baby worms but never any adults...not sure what that means but I'm just happy to see that many worms!

I think, if I get a chance this next month and after I've hauled all the chips the garden and coops need, I'll haul some and start putting them around the fruit trees a little at a time, to sort of use them as fertilizer. I had heard about farmers spreading wood chips with their manure spreaders and it improved their pastures, much like using fertilizer. I'd like to try to haul as much as I can before my back gives out or the weather prevents it.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Beekissed..yesterday I tore down my worm composter for the winter. And there seemed to be thousands upon thousands of baby worms. This was the first year I built a composter like this. Just made it out of stacked tires filled it with shredded paper.I just added worms left over from fishing and wow was I impressed. They really kept up with the scraps I put in it. I only added about 6 dozen or so worms early in spring and they just took off. I dumped two wheel barrows of worm compost into the garden. And even after the ducks had their fill of worms there were plenty go the garden.

 

[Beekissed]

That is going to make for some wonderful planting soil!!! Worm castings...that's the best!

Will that tire tower keep them well during winter, you suppose? I hope so!

 

[lazy gardener]

I went out between rain squalls and continued to dig dahlia and glad bulbs. Over wintering them is an iffy composition for me at best b/c the garage freezes, and the basement is too warm. But, hope springs eternal! Still have about a dozen glad and a dozen dahlia bulbs to get dug. Supposed to get down to 25* tonight. Don't know if they'll freeze too much or not... Still have potatoes and garlic to dig also. The hay bale flower border is rotting away nicely, and I've decided to plant my strawberry plants there. I only had about a dozen plants, and they've reproduced nicely, so... will give them a home, and mulch that hay bale bed with about 4" of wood chips. So much work to do this time of year, and not enough strength or energy to get it all done. Doesn't help that I go outside and start on the stuff that I want to do instead of the stuff that I should do!!!

 

[FridayYet]

I'd like to experiment with a no-till garden next year but am having trouble locating enough organic matter to get things started. Over the last few days, I covered one section of the garden with newspaper, then chipped leaves/grass from mowing the lawn, then peat moss. It's pretty thin, but it's all I've got right now. Next I'll spread some chopped Russian comfrey, the contents of the compost bins, then buy a few bales of hay to cover it all up. If I'm lucky, it will be a few inches deep. Not much, but it's a start. Hope to get on some waiting lists for wood chips in the spring.

This past year I've worked on reclaiming several neglected pieces of the property - so for every bag of compost/clippings/leaves there are about 10 places that need it! Other problem is that all of the trees on our property are cottonwoods, and their leaves are high in tannins which can raise the pH of our already alkaline soil. The chopped leaves have been great litter in the chicken run though.

Slowly but surely I'm making progress. I'm determined to make improvements without spending much money which certainly slows things down!

 

[Beekissed]

I'd like to experiment with a no-till garden next year but am having trouble locating enough organic matter to get things started. Over the last few days, I covered one section of the garden with newspaper, then chipped leaves/grass from mowing the lawn, then peat moss. It's pretty thin, but it's all I've got right now. Next I'll spread some chopped Russian comfrey, the contents of the compost bins, then buy a few bales of hay to cover it all up. If I'm lucky, it will be a few inches deep. Not much, but it's a start. Hope to get on some waiting lists for wood chips in the spring.

This past year I've worked on reclaiming several neglected pieces of the property - so for every bag of compost/clippings/leaves there are about 10 places that need it! Other problem is that all of the trees on our property are cottonwoods, and their leaves are high in tannins which can raise the pH of our already alkaline soil. The chopped leaves have been great litter in the chicken run though.

Slowly but surely I'm making progress. I'm determined to make improvements without spending much money which certainly slows things down!

Everything I've seen and read about leaves that are high in tannin would indicate they are very acidic, which should balance out your alkaline soils nicely. I'd use them! I live in a spot that used to be a pine thicket, so the clay soils here are very acidic due to the tannin of the pine needles all those years...I'm trying to build new soil over top of that clay right now with the use of wood chips, though not with many that are highly acidic in nature.

 

[Beekissed]

I went out between rain squalls and continued to dig dahlia and glad bulbs. Over wintering them is an iffy composition for me at best b/c the garage freezes, and the basement is too warm. But, hope springs eternal! Still have about a dozen glad and a dozen dahlia bulbs to get dug. Supposed to get down to 25* tonight. Don't know if they'll freeze too much or not... Still have potatoes and garlic to dig also. The hay bale flower border is rotting away nicely, and I've decided to plant my strawberry plants there. I only had about a dozen plants, and they've reproduced nicely, so... will give them a home, and mulch that hay bale bed with about 4" of wood chips. So much work to do this time of year, and not enough strength or energy to get it all done. Doesn't help that I go outside and start on the stuff that I want to do instead of the stuff that I should do!!!

Amen! There are so many things to do out there that I'm reluctant to tend to all the other things that need to be done....nice weather, pretty trees and sunny skies....can't get enough of it!

For the first time I'll be bringing in three flowers...they are not cold hardy but are so beautiful and costly that I'm going to attempt to bring them into the house until spring. Don't remember their names at all but this is the second year we've had them.

 

[Stuffedcritter]

We had snow showers yesterday Monday we'll be back into the 60* trees are at peak color.
I have been that crazy neighbor that drives around picking up your bags of leaves, there was a bunch of us racing around town one year gathering leaves.
Friday Yet your garden wants pet rabbits! Place the cages over the garden bed worms multiply, no burn fertilizer, and easy care.

 

[BBQJOE]

The wife brought in more butternut squash. I think we have like 50 now.
I think she over planted this year.