Winter Cover Crop. 11.13.2021

I have not tried this mix before. I've grown buckwheat as a cover crop. Deer love it. This seed covered 1/2 of the area where I want to plant sweet corn next year, and where I grew squashes this year. I don't know if this is too late, or how they will do, or if deer will eat all of the plants, or if they will be too weedy. It's an experiment. I don't want to leave the soil bare, or encourage thistles, so it is worth a try. Today was a break in rain. It should rain again over the next several days. That should get them settled in and starting.

Here is the seed mix: Austrian Winter Peas Winter Wheat Triticale Forage Collards Hairy Vetch Daikon Radish Fenugreek Crimson Clover Berseem Clover Yellow Mustard

Persimmons. 11.23.2021

Birds have started eating the ripest persimmons, so I picked them all. Persimmons ripen just fine indoors. Most of these are "Nikita's Gift". There were also more "Saijo" than I expected.

New Raised Bed #1 is Done. 11.10.2021

This one is completely done. I topped it off with some well aged compost, then a layer of good raised bed soil from the one I'm digging out. I also planted a few dozen topsets from Egyptian Walking Onions at the ends. Still thinking about whether to plant a cover crop on the rest, or just a thick layer of leaves.

I cut the wire fencing and plastic fencing to use as mole deterrents for the bottom of new raised bed #2, and moved some blocks nearby. When these, and the rebuilt smaller bed with wooden sides are done, I really don't want to do more big garden construction projects after this. The entire idea is to reduce heavy work. Meanwhile,the hardest part is to level the soil for the blocks, and lay the blocks kevel and plumb. After the base rows are in place, it goes better. Maybe ten more days? Also thinking about pathways between raised beds. This year, moles did a lot of damage, undermining sides and corners of beds and burying the woodchips with soil. Plus, I got behind pulling perennial volunteers - mainly four o'clocks and potatoes - and it became a challenge to access those garden beds. I'm thinking laying down wire fencing in the walkways, top with black plastic, then I don't know. Wood chips? Gravel? Depends on how I think moles will affect this area.

Saving Pickle Cucumber Seeds. Part 2. 11.10.2021

This is after they fernented for four days. I rinsed the seeds in a strainer. Now they are drying on a piece of newspaper.

I also have a back-up packet of open pollinated, bush type pickle cucumber seeds. Just in case these don't do well. This was SO easy, I can't see ever needing to buy pickle cucumber seeds again.

Raised Bed Update. 11.8.2021

 Here is the first of the new raised beds, so far.  Today I spread a thin dusting of lime on the previous fill of soil, which is about nine inches from the final surface level.  Also compost and some leaves.  I wont be able to mix the contents, so it's sort of a "lasagna" soil building.  Then I added another approx four inches of soil from the raised bed that I have to tear out due to mole damage and falling over.  A dusting of ashes, then will add the final topsoil layer, also from that bed.  There are lots of earthworms so I know they will be tunneling through and mixing it up nicely.

In his book about Gardening West of the Cascades, Steve Solomon recommends building soil via a cover crop of garden peas. Their roots grow deeply, and the plants enrich the soil. Garden peas can be planted very early. My current though is, around late February or early March, plant the raised beds with peas. If they grow quickly and we get a harvest, great. Otherwise, at tomato planting time in late May I can pull them out and feed the plants to the chickens. The idea is to get the soil building benefit, more than the peas.