Has anyone ever planted a "natural" garden? How did it work for you?

[Meadowlark]

... It is obvious to most of you I guess but we get no snow here.

We get snow even in Texas, but no harm to plants or cover crops.

 

[redback]

2. The soil required fewer passes with the tiller to make it ready for planting.
3. There were a lot more worms, ground beetles, etc. close to the surface.

For those not using machinery this stage of the cover crop can be simplified into -
1. Hoe the crop and either take the fresh green grass to the compost bin or -
2. Hoe the crop into the soil and make farrows with the hoe to plant the new crop.
Generally, my crop areas are 2 x 4 meters (6 x 14 feet). An experienced planter's hoe user will do this in half an hour (with rests). I rarely plant single crops anymore. My latest seed plantings were a mixture of pumpkin, silver beet, and dwarf beans. It should be said that all crops here are permanently irrigated and all this hoeing is done carefully. In friable soil the hoe can be dragged under the 13mm black poly irrigation line to remove weeds around the line.

 

[redback]

We get snow even in Texas, but no harm to plants or cover crops.

I really do feel like I'm in a different hemisphere. I cannot imagine snow gardens even with those great photos - thanks.

 

[pepper2.0]

I really do feel like I'm in a different hemisphere. I cannot imagine snow gardens even with those great photos - thanks.

I grow snow here in my gardens about 5 months out of the year lol

 

[Meadowlark]

For those not using machinery this stage of the cover crop can be simplified ...

I don't count clippers as machinery...and I use them to "chop and drop" cover crops in my HK containers to replenish the soil in them completely without actually changing soil or adding any synthetic fertilizers.

 

[redback]

I don't count clippers as machinery

I've got a friend like you - everything is motorized. lol.
If you use the planter's hoe for thirty years you get rock hard obliques (muscles at the sides of your waist).
We agree on the green manure idea.

 

[redback]

I grow snow here in my gardens about 5 months out of the year lol

I am 'spaced out' by that. I don't even get a frost - supposedly because of the maritime influence.

 

[pepper2.0]

I am 'spaced out' by that. I don't even get a frost - supposedly because of the maritime influence.

I love winter here in Canada.. ice fishing here is cool, if you have an ice shack you are part of a town or village of people on the ice and every time you get out it's a friendly competition and hot tottie drinks and endless fishing stories. In my 40's now so snowboarding is something I am no longer in my prime for but still giv'er while I can, cross country skiing and snowshoes are becoming more my thing now. That early morning walk to Timmie's for their coffee to start my day is a must when temps don't exceed -25. Winterlude is always a must to eat beavertails and check out the ice sculptures.. and can't miss Bonehomme Carnival de Quebec too. Winter is loved here, but for gardening I envy you, meadowlark, and all the peps on here who can garden year round. My garden season comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

 

[redback]

I love winter here in Canada.. ice fishing here is cool,

you lazy gardener - here I am sweating in the hot sun and you're on your annual 3 months holiday. lol.

 

[pepper2.0]

I love winter here in Canada.. ice fishing here is cool, if you have an ice shack you are part of a town or village of people on the ice and every time you get out it's a friendly competition and hot tottie drinks and endless fishing stories. In my 40's now so snowboarding is something I am no longer in my prime for but still giv'er while I can, cross country skiing and snowshoes are becoming more my thing now. That early morning walk to Timmie's for their coffee to start my day is a must when temps don't exceed -25. Winterlude is always a must to eat beavertails and check out the ice sculptures.. and can't miss Bonehomme Carnival de Quebec too. Winter is loved here, but for gardening I envy you, meadowlark, and all the peps on here who can garden year round. My garden season comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

Sad face? Every good thing has a sacrifice, gardening happens to be that but honestly a small price to pay for the countless other things to do here in winter.. I know that is probably against forum policy to say such a thing on a gardening forum but it is what it is lol.

you lazy gardener - here I am sweating in the hot sun and you're on your annual 3 months holiday. lol.

I'd catch a bird to come help you but man those spiders over there lol!!

 

[pepper2.0]

Sad face? Every good thing has a sacrifice, gardening happens to be that but honestly a small price to pay for the countless other things to do here in winter.. I know that is probably against forum policy to say such a thing on a gardening forum but it is what it is lol.



I'd catch a bird to come help you but man those spiders over there lol!!

3 months would be nice. Hunting season starts for whitetails here first Monday of each november, by the second week there is always snow on the ground to track them. March always has a last screw you snow fall of 25 cm at least.. so its more like 5 months.. but still have to wait for the ground to thaw and dry out a bit so May 2-4 weekend is when most people here start to plant outdoors but March is the start seeds inside time here. Unless its weed.. then the grow season is 24-7-365 for everyone with grow lights lol.

 

[redback]

I'd catch a bird to come help you but man those spiders over there lol!!

To be honest I've been keeping our beaches a secret. No spiders. Just heavenly warm seawater to cure all skin diseases. Quiet little sandy alcoves with no rip and sandbars out from the shore far enough to let you swim in safety. Not many people and a gentle rolling wave with a slight breeze. Long walks at sunset along white sandy shorelines that go on forever backed by rocky cliffs and the headlands of boulders that collapsed centuries ago. There's not one of them either. There's sixty of them within a day's drive. .... and fish, crabs, oysters and lobster washed down with world famous wines.
Which reminds me - our five main wine regions ......

 

[redback]

Seaweed - that's what I meant to say - can be taken from some beaches and washed for garden mulch. A good addition to any natural garden.

 

[pepper2.0]

To be honest I've been keeping our beaches a secret. No spiders. Just heavenly warm seawater to cure all skin diseases. Quiet little sandy alcoves with no rip and sandbars out from the shore far enough to let you swim in safety. Not many people and a gentle rolling wave with a slight breeze. Long walks at sunset along white sandy shorelines that go on forever backed by rocky cliffs and the headlands of boulders that collapsed centuries ago. There's not one of them either. There's sixty of them within a day's drive. .... and fish, crabs, oysters and lobster washed down with world famous wines.
Which reminds me - our five main wine regions ......

I've never been to your neck of the woods but my brother has, he went often. He was a travel nut, vagabond I called him but Australia was his favorite place to be. He was a surfer and said the only thing more mesmerising then the tides was the accent of the women when they showed some interest in a Canuck lol! He did paleontology so he was well traveled but that was his go-to. I'd love to go, some day. Kind of funny, you folks say G'day, here in the ottawa valley we say G'day, I might have spelled it wrong but the Ottawa Valley is the only place in Canada that says G'day lol

 

[Meadowlark]

Have you observed that plants grown in soil that was cover cropped have a significantly greater tolerance for lower temps than otherwise? Kind of a take-off on your #6.

I'm kind of curious what you do to attract pollinators and especially butterflys which I find totally fascinating.

Does it snow most of winter? That would explain the sunflower failure.
The improved soil texture has to do with carbon and fungi loosening the soil compaction. Probably planting a mix of crops also helps.
I await the next episode.

I'd like to see this once great thread get back on the subject of "Natural" garden and of @GreenhouseGoblin continued story and responses to that story.