[LiveToShoot]

Ghost,

I relate to/represent your quote:
"Not all who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

[RedneckCatholic]

Live to Shoot--I don't till the grass clippings in. I just spread them over the gound, keeping them a couple of inches from the stems of my plants. They rot in just fine that way, and attract earth worms!

I'm doing the fall prep for our garden now. We trebled it's size this year--not that it's big, we have a small yard. Yesterday I re-dug one of the beds. The method is kinda radical, as this is the first deep digging for that bed. I dug a trench, 12" across on end, then I dug out the bottom another 12". I put the dirt in a wheel barrow, and some on a tarp. Then I dug another 12" deep trench, fright hard against the first--the top soil from this went into the bottom of the first trench. Then I dug the second a further 12" and put the sup soil on top of the dirt in the first trench. And so one, down the line of the bed.

This put the compost and mulch from the bed deep--It will help break up the clay we have here, and areate the soil, as well as making it easier for the plant roots to go deep. It also helps the rain water to perk into the soil and reduced watering needs.

I'll do the soil testing today.

Next spring, I will add a 4" layer of compost to the bed after turning it over, and chop it in with a hoe. Then I'll add another 4" layer of sifted compost to the top, and use that as a seed bed.

It's labour intensive, but this is the last year for such hard digging: I'm out of space to expand! And, it gets easier every year. I got the idea when I was stationed in Germany--I saw these beautiful gardens, with dark black soil, when the soil there was heavy clay. When I found that some of these gardens were 500 years old, I was impressed! Then in Italy (land of good eats!) I saw similar practices.

A couple of years ago I took a course from Perdue Univ. through the "county agents" and IN Dept. of Ag.--it's called the Master Gardener Course. I learned a lot from the course, and I'd recommend to anybody to find out their states equivelent!

[LiveToShoot]

Thanks for the helpful info...

...which will help my family and me with gardening this coming spring.

Speaking of gardening and enjoying the bounty therefrom...

...for a breakfast hors d'oeuvre this morning, I just made up some fresh carrot juice, from freshly picked carrots. I use a Champion Juicer to do the juicing. VERY DELICIOUS.

I also added in a handful of freshly sprouted Mung bean seeds...

...just for good measure.

[LiveToShoot]

Good morning...

...for a breakfast hors d'oeuvre this morning, I just made up some fresh red potato juice, from recently dug red potatoes. I use a Champion Juicer to do the juicing. VERY DELICIOUS and exceptionally nutritious.

Red Potatoes, when juiced fresh, are a natural antibiotic...

...I was introduced to this nutritious concoction by my Grandmother (mother's mom) in my early youth.

Between her and one of my aunts, and my Mom, I was helped to learn about good health practices before I knew about guns...

...which was very early on.

Oh, strong words of caution: only juice/drink a little bit at first, 2-4 oz, cause this stuff is powerful and it'll break loose toxins in your body quickly...

...so fast, if taken in larger amounts too quickly, that you'll feel nauseous and get a mild headache.

Same goes for beet juice...

[LiveToShoot]

I just returned home from an IFA (Intermountain Farmers Association) Lawn and Garden Expo in Layton, UT...

...and, boy did I get my head filled with a lot of good gardening ideas.

There was a big emphasis on "green" gardening, using OMRI approved fertilizers. We also looked over a wide variety of other products supplied through IFA to independent dealers, like our home town general store.

My wife and daughter went along with me and we had an enjoyable couple of days away together. My daughter, two months old, took her first dip in the hot pool, and she seemed to like it. We hope to start her swimming lessons soon.

[GlennM]

Quote:      

...and, boy did I get my head filled with a lot of good gardening ideas.

We're all ears! (Eyes?)

[LiveToShoot]

GM,

I've been up to my ears moving the past couple of days, and should be finished with the relocation part this evening...

...thereafter, let's reopen the talk about gardening.

I've been refitted with a lot of good gardening ideas...

...especially the soil prep part and pest control.

[Oxford]

Good luck as you get settled into your new environment in Alaska. That by itself has to be a stressful set of events.

Re: gardens...it's good you're learning about "green" gardening, using OMRI approved fertilizer." I am interested in what you can tell us about that concept.

I have no idea about which insects will attack your garden in Alaska. However, I've been told that certain flowers, yellow marigolds for instance, will ward of certain garden insects, thus eliminating the need for some pesticides. That's an area of garden improvement I want to learn more about, and might start using if there's an advantage. At this point, insects haven't been a problem with the few vegetables in my garden plot in Missouri, so pesticides haven't been used.

Also I'm not using garden fertilizers because of the huge amount of grass/leaves I compost each spring and summer, and till in each fall and spring before planting. Pelletized lime is usually the only soil conditioner I use.

But...gardening in Alaska might be a totally different ballgame. Shorter growing seasons, more extreme winters, shallow top soil depth, etc, could cause a gardener plenty of challanges.

[testhop]

HERE IS A IDEA FOR YOUWHO LIVE IN THE COLDER PARTS GET YOUR SEED NOW
AND IN JAN OR FEB PLANT THE SEEDS IN SMALL STERRFORM CUPS ( HOLES NATCH )
PUT CUPS IN FREEZER BAGS AND PUT THE BAGS ONTHE HOT WATER HEATER TILL THESEEDS SPROUT2 OR 3 INCHS THEN THIN ORTRANSPLANT MOVE THEM TO A WARM SUNNY SPOT THIS GIVES YOU A BIG JUMP ON STORE BOUGHT PLANTS YOU SHOULD HAVE BLOOMS BY THE TIME YOU SET THEM OUT