Showing posts with label compost. Show all posts
Showing posts with label compost. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

My lettuce garden & wildflower haven

In my yard, I make sure to avoid mowing down the milkweed. Now, the milkweed stands growing tall and will be flowering soon. From what I've heard, milkweed is the only food source for the Monarch butterfly, so every year, I'm sure to keep the patch of Milkweed growing just for them.

Also, my patch of wildflowers are doing great. I may fertilize them again soon, but I'm glad that they're growing so that it attracts bees and other insects in the hopes that the insects will pollinate the flowering vegetables or fruit trees.








Grapes getting bigger

Basil

This garden is different from my other I showed you in my last post. It is my permaculture garden which I continue mulching and layering with compost. In the  garden beds here, I planted an abundance of radish, many varieties of lettuce, cilantro, spinach, arugula--and now most of these plants are going to seed. The lettuce will be flowering soon too. I have continued to pick the lettuce for salads, sandwiches, and wraps. I have been giving lots of lettuce away too, but as mentioned, the lettuce will be flowering soon and I will not be able to pick it any longer because it will taste old and bitter.








Cilantro and lettuce

Yarrow flower 

Onion flowers
Lots of onions flowering 


Here I have some strawberries growing too amongst the lettuces but animals are eating them.

Strawbery plant

In my pots, I have squash, melons and tomaotes. I have struggled with these though because of animals digging up plants and making holes. It has been a constant struggle this year with animals, unfortunately.



Today, I composted around the tomatoes  in pots. I brought some pots that animals ate the plants from to my apartment to transplant tomatoes in. It looks pretty good! And I brought compost from my home garden to my apartment garden for the tomatoes!

Tomatoes in pots for apartment garden

Already getting big!

Friday, February 24, 2017

Growing Cabbage, broccoli, & Onion in Polytunnel greenhouse

Today while the weather permitted, my partner and I got a truck load of compost to go on one of the gardens. The truckload of compost cost $37 after tax. Before spreading the compost, we made a polytunnel using water pipe attached together and held in place with small pieces of rebar in the ground. Afterwards, we assembled cardboard in the shape of the polytunnel and then spread 6 inches of compost on top of the cardboard. We collected rocks and lined rocks around the bed to contain the compost.
Then we transplanted cabbage, broccoli, and onions throughout the compost bed and watering with rain that was collected on site. Because we are transplanting in late February when the nights are still between 20-40 degrees, we went ahead and covered the poltunnel with plastic and secured the plastic with long pieces of rebar and rocks. I will have to make sure to uncover the polytunnel on hot or warm days or use garden cloth to cover the tunnel. The idea behind constructing tunnels over the garden beds is to use plastic when it's cold and then use garden cloth when it's hot and to keep bugs out.
Below are some photos I took of the bed to show you the first garden we have put out this year. Although I have had some plants growing throughout the winter, it feels like I'm actually gardening now that I'm transplanting.




Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Keyhole Gardens (how to & design)

The structure of the keyhole gardens is to create a circular compost pile. Around the compost, soil is to be surrounded in a U shape built up using stacked rocks or another barrier to hold the soil around the compost. As rain falls through the compost, the nitrogen and other minerals from the compost will be slowly released like a liquid fertilizer into the soil.
The first step in making a keyhole garden is either making the cylindrical compost hole with mesh, wire, or some kind of fencing.
Secondly, make the outer frame with bricks, rocks, wood, or other materials to contain the soil. Shape the frame like a U so that you can walk in the space.
Third, lay down cardboard at the bottom of the garden to suppress weeds.
Fourth, begin by adding soil in the garden, and fill the compost cage with food scraps.

Below are examples of the many ways gardeners have made keyhole gardens.

libertygarden.us
libertygarden.us

university of bristol

flickr.com

inhabitat.com
vcmga.org
almostancientpots.com

keyholefarm.com
vitagardens.com
pinterest.com
vermicomposters.ning.com
niftyhomestead.com

niftyhomestead.com
sandiegouniontribune.com

African Raised Keyhole garden bu The Shaster Foundation. Drought proof, flood proof and perfect for people who don't like or can't bend or dig. Feeds a family of 6 all year round in any kind of weather.
imgur