Gray Grayer Grayest

23 May 2011 1 Comment

by gardenxing in Green Manure

Coming to you from what feels like the gray capital of the world is another update from the gardenXing. I had the opportunity to take some photos yesterday when we had some sun in order to convince you that we live in a sun paradise here in southern Vermont, but I procrastinated and didn’t want to wait further. I’m crossing my fingers that another season like 2009 is NOT in the cards.

Our first crop of rocket came and went, as well as the tatsoi. Of course more is on the way. The Red Oak and Black Seeded Simpson lettuce continues to provide and I usually do a good enough job in succession planting for perpetual supply.

Romaine Behind Tomatoes

We ended up having our last frost May 6, which is very early for our area. It is *possible* there’s another on the way, but it’s unlikely at this point, looking at the forecasts. I only had to use extra heat for the tomatoes for two nights in the hoop house since planting them April 17. But despite the early last frost, this spring is proving to be quite cool and wet. The rye has headed out but hasn’t pollenated yet (last year it was pollinating by May 10). A warm day has occurred here and there but not with any consistency.

Since starting the corn in toilet paper rolls (a method I like because they’re deep) 8 days ago, they’re outgrowing them quickly, and they happen to be planned for one of the beds that has rye and clover in it. I decided to cut the rye down today (photo below) and take a chance that the rye would want to grow back. I usually wait until pollination which essentially ensures the growth cycle is complete. But my guess is I’ll get some growth but very little. The amount of above-ground biomass from the rye is huge (this is added to the compost pile or used for mulch) and the miles and miles of roots they produce is organic matter I didn’t have to haul into the garden. Weeds of course are held at bay and rye does a perfect job of this.

Masses of Rye

Cutting the rye by hand is a little bit of a chore and it’s those times that I wish I had a scythe. But my hand sickle works well enough and I’m able to get a cut very close to the ground. After cutting the rye gets put into a pile to dry out where it’s used primarily for carbon for the compost. Over the rye stubble I’ll put a layer of compost and cover that with some already-dried straw. If I need to warm the soil more, I’ll wait on the mulch and let the sun get some heat into the soil for a few days (if sun is available, of course). I usually end up with more rye than I need, but that’s the idea. Make more than you need and the rest you can save.

Some of the beds are in green manure “mode” for the whole year, and for those after the rye and vetch come down, I usually plan buckwheat for a summer smother and till that in lightly after it flowers (about 30-40 days). For those same beds, after the buckwheat, I’ll plant something that will winter kill, like peas and oats, and give me a dead mulch the next year. The beds are rotated in and out of production. Since I’m into getting the garden into a sustainable self-fertilizing state, I don’t have all beds producing vegetables, so rotating the beds makes sense. Next year I’m going to explore different green manure crops like alfalfa and mustard for some variety.

The tomatoes are growing very well with the Sun Gold, Matt’s Wild Cherry and Aunt Ruby German Green plants at 36 inches. The Paul Robeson plants are at 27 inches. A friend gave me some Sun Sugar tomato seed. I’ve never heard of that variety (an F1, I think), but did start 2 seeds in the hopes of finding a place for them. As of this writing, I have no set location. A pot may have to do.

Music Garlic Growing Well

A Start on a Compost Pile

The watermelons are in early as of May 21. I usually wait until June 1, but the weather outlook is OK and they were getting a little antsy in their 4″ soil blocks. Watermelons have very fussy roots and don’t like to get them mussed. Soil blocks are the perfect solution to this. When the time comes to put them in the ground, I pretend I’m a surgeon performing an open heart transplant. It’s a little comical really.

Until next time? As Willy Wonka said, “So much time and so little to do……Strike that. Reverse it.”

 

Corn in Toilet Paper rolls ready for their life outside.

Bed 4 After Cutting the rye. Compost and mulch is laid down over the stubble.

Watermelons! In! Come on, Sun!

The Foundation for our New Shed!

Sun Golds on the Way

Cilantro!

Bull's Blood Beets

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