What did you do in your garden today?

[skinyea]

Pulled second to last bed of potatoes. Have had an incredible year for potatoes. This one was a bit of a disappointment but all good.
was hoping for 60LBs of Red Nolands but only got 44LBs. Still not bad.

Pulled 1st bed of tomatoes. Probs could have waited a week, but pruduction
was mostly over.

Canning 18 pints of assorted Tomatoes and put Jalapeños in Dehydrator.

 

[Ernst]

Got that last 1/6th of the garden plot to go and wouldn't ya know it's the most packed and has more gravel down around eight inches.
So it is true that tilling in stuff like grass will help with the tilth of clay soil but getting the full 10 inches the tiller can do takes pass after pass. The tiller is shaving maybe an inch off the bottom each time with each pass in some places.
Then there are the little hills and valleys of where the tiller has gone before but not quite cut it all cleanly. That causes a slow down in tilling and makes for in place tilling for a few.
I thought this morning "oh I have just one patch left to do and I'll get it done." Needless to say I spent most of the time tilling a reference depth across the plot so I can try and make all the passes uniformly deep.
There is a lot of grass to till in so having a reference depth is helpful.
It is just one of those times that the hard work is for my benefit. I do so want the pride that will be mine knowing I have a goodly deep root zone where humus will eventually form.
I intend to have the best Garden in my local area!

Google just offered me their A.I. search thingy..
This is what the A.I. said about Humus

Humus is a dark, organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is found in the top few inches of soil and is rich in nutrients. Humus is important for soil fertility because it:

• Retains moisture
• Loosens the soil
• Increases the presence of organisms

Humus is made up of approximately 60% carbon and 6% nitrogen. It ranges in color from brown to black.
Humus is formed by a long process of decomposition by earthworms, bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. The longer you keep your compost pile healthy, the more humus you'll end up with.

Thankfully this deep rototilling is a one time event so I do not expect to ever till down ten inches again in this plot. Top four inches with turning green manure under yeah sure but "Chain Gang" style back breaking tilling? Not this plot I hope.

So I must get coffee, wipe the sleep out of my eyes tomorrow and go tilling and keep on it until one of us is done-for.

75% there. Gotta keep on keeping on.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

has more gravel down around eight inches.

I have places like that, I think they are where previous people have tried to provide drainage with aggregates because the earth above is some of the best, but the stones and gravel just get embedded into the clay.
Did almost nothing, too damn hot.

 

[Ernst]

I have places like that, I think they are where previous people have tried to provide drainage with aggregates because the earth above is some of the best, but the stones and gravel just get embedded into the clay.
Did almost nothing, too damn hot.

It's a lot of work and I think you have a point because a chunk of brick came up.
To borrow the phrase "only a mother could love that face..."
Only an organic soil lover could justify the obsession.
I just want the best bed i can get and it sure is a lot of work.

So, it's all about mindlessly trudging around and around.
Maybe another week of work but then I can be sure I did my best to get things started off on the right footing for a great garden.

 

[Ernst]

Took a picture of my lovely Hurricane by Pioneer.

I fear I have shellacked the belts.
If they are like the Mower I bought then the wear doesn't have to be excessive to cause slippage.
I am having to baby it a bit so too the bank account at this time.
The mower was a surprise fiddy out of pocket.
I am yet to squint at the price of belts for this one.

Safe to say for 99cc it's rather tough!
Running the tines in reverse of the wheels is maximum digging with the drag stake all the way down.

But, in the who got tired first? I lost today!

I was thinking also that I might just grow on half the plot for spring and do a soil builder on the other half. Then when it comes time for fall planting I would have tilled that soil builder under. Then plant for fall and finish up on the Summer garden side.
Then reverse the process where it's the old Summer side that gets soil building for the next season.

Make any sense?

 

[YumYum]

I fear I have shellacked the belts.
If they are like the Mower I bought then the wear doesn't have to be excessive to cause slippage.

V belts use the sides of the belt, not really the inside part of the belt. They can stretch but know they will get skinnier with wear. On my Husqvarna tiller there isn't much wear to be made before adjustments have to be made.

 

[Meadowlark]

...I was thinking also that I might just grow on half the plot for spring and do a soil builder on the other half. Then when it comes time for fall planting I would have tilled that soil builder under. Then plant for fall and finish up on the Summer garden side.
Then reverse the process where it's the old Summer side that gets soil building for the next season.

Make any sense?

Well since you asked ....

Makes a lot more sense to me than all that work. Let Nature work for you. Much easier and way more fun!

If it were mine and of course its not, I would plant that area in a cover crop immediately. I'm not sure but you probably still have time to do that. Some legumes like clovers and/or vetch and/or alfalfa. A soil builder like winter rye (Elbon is a great one). Throw-out some turnip seeds and daikon radish to reach down into that subsoil and below.

Wait until Spring when it gets a good growth and till it under. Bring in a load of composted animal manure covering the entire area in several inches of compost. Turn that into your building soil...You will be well on your way to achieving "I intend to have the best Garden in my local area!" Then follow your plan above. That's what I would do if I wanted to make the best Garden in the area...since you asked.

 

[Ernst]

V belts use the sides of the belt, not really the inside part of the belt. They can stretch but know they will get skinnier with wear. On my Husqvarna tiller there isn't much wear to be made before adjustments have to be made.

I agree with you.
For the mower it was like 1/4 inch wear and that was enough to keep the auto tension from pulling the brake pad, on the blade pulley, completely off of the pulley so it could spin freely.
Sounded and looked like it was trying to come apart because the brake pad was gripping the pulley metal to metal.
Yes, it has been wearing a groove into the pad already.
It's a fact of life for the mower. Belt change every couple of Summers.

Whaddaya think? Designed to wear out on schedule for profitability of the parts department?

 

[Ernst]

Well since you asked ....

Makes a lot more sense to me than all that work. Let Nature work for you. Much easier and way more fun!

If it were mine and of course its not, I would plant that area in a cover crop immediately. I'm not sure but you probably still have time to do that. Some legumes like clovers and/or vetch and/or alfalfa. A soil builder like winter rye (Elbon is a great one). Throw-out some turnip seeds and daikon radish to reach down into that subsoil and below.

Wait until Spring when it gets a good growth and till it under. Bring in a load of composted animal manure covering the entire area in several inches of compost. Turn that into your building soil...You will be well on your way to achieving "I intend to have the best Garden in my local area!" Then follow your plan above. That's what I would do if I wanted to make the best Garden in the area...since you asked.

I know huh!
This guy is nuts with the tilling.
Yeah, I get it. However, it does bode well with the general leveling of the peaks and valleys I have in the yard.
That was a low spot where the water collects when it rains. The topography is not so level to start with but that may well change over the coming years with me around.
So, yes I think you have a point about the smart way to go about things.
The two free resources are grass and if I can ever get him to bring a load over, the wood from tree trimmer truck.
Truck load of compost.. Now I'm not sure if there is such around for free but there is a rabbit breeder that sells truckload of rabbit manure.

Yeah so it's perhaps an obsession a little bit but at least for the first time I'll see if this way I am doing things makes a difference for every concern here.



And while I have your eyes...
I got this for the soil builder plus the inoculant.
Cold weather soil builder
What do you think? Good choice?

I was wondering if once the tilth is fluffy and evenly deep if I should till in some prilled Urea and see if it will cook a bit before i put in the winter soil builder.

Hey, it's been three decades since I have had an outdoor garden.
I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Meadowlark]

And while I have your eyes...
I got this for the soil builder plus the inoculant.
Cold weather soil builder
What do you think? Good choice?

Yes looks like a good choice. I might add some clover for rapid growth next spring but what you have there is a good choice. Get and use the inoculant they recommend.

I was wondering if once the tilth is fluffy and evenly deep if I should till in some prilled Urea and see if it will cook a bit before i put in the winter soil builder.

'prilled" ? Adding nitrogen won't hurt but won't help the legumes that much...they make their own and fix it in your soil and that is a thing of beauty.

A truckload of rabbit would be terrific...definitely do that if possible.

Hey, it's been three decades since I have had an outdoor garden.
I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

but won't help the legumes that much...they make their own and fix it in your soil

A common misconception, they fix it in the roots and it stays in the plant, you need to chop the roots into the ground and compost the above ground growth if you want the benefit.

 

[Meadowlark]

Research has shown there is a release of some soluble nitrogen compounds such as amino acids and ammonium from intact legume roots and nodules, but it is an insignificant amount. The primary pathway for nitrogen transfer from the legume to the soil is through decomposition of dead legume plant material.

texas a and m research on nitrogen fixing - Search (bing.com)

 

[Oliver Buckle]

That's what I thought, but several times I have had people tell me "They put nitrogen in the soil" and then pull the plants up roots and all and put them in the garden waste bin for the local council to take away, Brambles and lonicera hedge cuttings go in my bin, well the ones I don't burn.

 

[Ernst]

So, if I have my thoughts right, after tilling deeply a compact clay soil, tilling in a lot of grass and then planting a soil builder that it will add some organic materials and some nitrogen will be stored.
It sounds like those plants in soil now mixed with uncomposted grass could use some nitrogen if it's all used up by biology.
I have this idea of following the French Intensive, compost in the ground, idea.
That's what I am aiming at. Well that and having the benefit of more organic material topside in the plot come time for spring.
I'm very curious if this Cold weather crop will really make it through a Illinois winter as they suggest.
It's not so bad but it does freeze and we do get a little snow.

 

[Black_Thumb]

Hello, friends. I've been busy with company for the last four weeks, so I'm WAY behind in my posts. I am not sure where I left off. My grass got extremely long and so I had to cut it twice at various settings on my tractor to get it back under control again. I've also trimmed my hedges, started to edge the driveway but that's going to take several hours (days?) to finish. I tried to do a bit of weeding in the garden but what's left there has pretty much served it's purpose, and so we'll be pulling out the old stuff and prepare for some fall crops.

I planted some onions and my wife planted some kale. I seem to recall mentioning that, but I am not sure. The kale is already starting to sprout, but my onions haven't started showing yet. Those will be in the ground until next spring anyway, so I'm not concerned.

Our friends are bringing over a whole bunch of raspberry plants for me to add to my collection. We have about 15 plants already. I may have to get creative to find room for them.

That's about it for now.