Testing Out A New Cover Crop

The soil I was able to cobble together this spring for the growing season was not an ideal soil by any means.  It was full of rocks and clay and not full of enough organic matter.  Organic matter (O.M.) is the key to a successful garden. The more of it you have in your soil the less watering and fertilizing you have to do as organic matter greatly increases the water holding capacity of a soil and it provides organic nutrition for your plants.  How much the water holding capacity is increased it a matter up for debate as it seems to change from soil to soil and type of organic matter.  But despite the disagreement on how much is held the consensus that it does improve is not up for debate.

To learn more about water holding capacity of organic matter check out this article done by the Michigan State University Extension 

Anyways their is a couple ways one can incorporate organic matter into your garden soil.  You can either spread a bunch on top and mechanically mix it in using a cultivator.  Or you can used the traditional and newly rediscovered method of using cover crops to add O.M. both above and below ground.  Cover crops can either be planted as part of a rotation and done once every couple of years or you can squeeze them in between the main garden crops.  This will usually mean a spring planted cover crop that is killed and incorporated into the soil prior to the main veggies going in.  Or what I consider to be the easier method of the fall cover crop and let it go till the frost kills it.

Some of you may live where frost is not a concern and would worry about the cover crop becoming a weed.  If that is the case you may have to try to kill it mechanically or chemically(not a fan).

So to circle back around to my main point I have planted a cover crop of Peas and Oats.  The combination of peas and oats is a strong one as it suppresses weeds, fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere, and shoots roots deep into the soil loosing up the clay and adding organic matter all through the soil profile of my garden.

The goal with the cover crop is to have a loose, weed free garden bed ready for planting next spring.

Here are some pics of how it looks now with the cover crop being seeded just yesterday.  I will take pictures ever so often and update the progress before giving my final results next spring.      

First Batch of Compost..... Done

Finally is all I can say about my first batch of compost being done.  My composting attempts this year have been plagued with with rain, cold temperatures, badly built compost piles and absolutely no biological activity in the compost bins.  I have struggled all summer to get my bins to heat up and do hot composting with is the most efficient and least smelly method of composting kitchen and garden scraps.

Until last week I have failed spectacularly in that endeavor.  I tried incorporating healthy soil, commercial compost enhancers, applied composted steer manure all in the attempts to kick start the biological activity of my piles.

They all failed miserably....

Until I remembered the one significant thing I was doing different compared to last years compost.  I didn't have any composted horse manure in the pile.  It hit me like a ton of bricks that is was the horse manure that contained the biological activity I needed to do hot composting.

So two hours later and a scratched up door panel from some exuberant Blue Heeler cattle dogs I had the horse manure I needed for my piles.  I put some in both of my bins and then the waiting game began.

One week later....

Upon checking the piles I found them to be hot which is exactly what I wanted to find.  What it means is that the manure I put in the pile is providing the necessary biological activity to quickly break down the vegetable scraps, fruit peelings, pulled weeds and pretty much everything I put in the pile.  Now that I have the biological activity it will a matter of a couple weeks to finish that compost rather than a couple months like it could have been.

Finish compost that I took from my bin

Finish compost used to help come grass seed sprout.

To learn more about composting check out my other blog dedicated entirely to the art composting at
Making Dirt 101

Update on the Cob Garden Beds

I have to say it was touch and go for awhile with the cob garden beds I built this spring.  The incredible amount of rain we got took me by surprise.  But despite all the rain they didn't wash away and the cob beds are still doing their job.  While there has been some erosion on them their is not any significant structural failure.  When they are dry I can walk on them and they easily hold my weight without cracking or breaking off.

I have noticed some flaking off in some areas were I built it up more after laying down my initial layer.  This is caused by two factors I believe.

• The slight differences in the mixture of the layers.  It took me a few tries to find the optimum sand clay  mixture and I had already built most of my beds by that point. 
• I also believe that I did a poor job of blending the layers when I failed to wet the the old cob sufficiently to help it accept the new layers. 

 But despite the some obvious problems I couldn't be happier with the performance of the cob so far.  While I don't yet have any clue yet how long they will last in their current state that is the point of this whole experiment.
                                                                        

Updated Picture of Cob Garden Bed

A Look at the cob now still going strong.

A look back at the cob.

So all in all everything is going well so far this summer.  The cob beds are holding their form and everything is growing like a champ.  The only real issue I have been dealing with in the garden yet this year is getting my herbs planted and growing.  My first attempt back in spring failed and I had to start over from scratch.  So as not to waste the growing space I planted a second batch of radishes where the perennial herbs were originally but they are not dealing well with the July heat we have been in.  So I think I learned my lesson that cool season really means cool season.

I also pulled my what was left of my turnips out today as they are not doing well in the heat either and it will eventually ruin the flavor if I leave them in.  Now I get to experiment with making pickled turnips which should be an interesting adventure.   

Two Pictures to Help You Appreciate Earth Sheltering Techniques

So on this nice hot day I came home to find out again just how much I love the fact that I live in a basement apartment.  While it is not the ideal home that I will have one day in the far distant future it has two redeeming features.

-Its price

-The fact that it is 3/4 underground

While the price has nothing in particular to do with this post the fact that it is partially underground does.
Through the "magic" of earth sheltering the inside of my no air conditioning apartment is currently 20+ degrees cooler than it is outside right at the time of this posting.  Lets just say that the fact I don't have to pay for air conditioning is great.

Why we don't take advantage of earth sheltering more in modern building is something that I don't understand when the benefits of it are obvious, and more importantly free to use.

If you are still doubting of the temperature benefits of earth sheltered housing check out the photos I snapped today.

This classy thermometer is inside my apartment in the kitchen

This guy hangs in the covered steps leading out of my apartment.

Photos do really speak 1000 words don't they.  If this doesn't convince you right now that earth sheltering is the next best thing since sliced bread then I got nothing else that will.

If you want to learn more about earth sheltering check out 3 Reasons to Build a Earth Sheltered House or the book.
  

Garden Is Coming Along Great!!!!

So its been awhile and I know that.

Lets just say like most people during the summer, time gets away from me and next thing you know it is 4 weeks later and you haven't put anything up on your blog like you wanted to.

Well I am back and starting next weekend my schedule is getting much less hectic and I will be able to keep things more up to date.

To date I have grown, picked and sold all my first batch of radishes and have been harvesting from my spinach and leaf lettuce for a couple weeks now.  I have a second batch of radishes coming up right now and they will be ready sometime in the next couple weeks.

I also have my Topsy Turvey tomato planter going finally.  I guess I will have to find out if its reputation is deserved or not.

A few other things have gotten so much bigger since the last time you saw them like my corn, winter squash, pumpkins and zucchini.  But enough of me and my words it is time for more pictures.

Spinach and Leaf Lettuce Being Prepped for Sale

Moon and Stars Watermelon 

2 of the 3 Sisters Companion Planting Method I still need to add a pole bean but am not sure I will.

Spinach, Lettuce, Kohlrabi and Turnips putting everything else to shame.