- Joined
- Sep 1, 2022
- Messages
- 46
- Climate
- Temperate (all seasons)
Watching Mark's videos on YT the past two weeks has inspired me to try a late summer garden for the first time.
After building up the bed with odds & ends from the barn and a store-bought compost/manure/soil/sand mix I planted some yellow wax beans and snow peas on Aug. 15.
Two weeks later, and they're already reaching out for something to climb on!
I'm working on another area, 10' x 10' in the back yard that gets full sun and planted more of the same plus beets.
These are planted in rows north/south because I already had a small area worked up there. For the rest of the planting, I think I should plant rows east/west?
Here's how I layered that area: (I know it's not up to Mark's standards, but... I'm a noob
)
First layer, thick cardboard to keep down the grass/weeds. I had really wanted to work the ground, loosen it up and work in the greens, but there is gravel about 2" down from where the drive used to be - at least there should be good drainage there.
Second layer, a 1/2 yard load of top soil from a sales yard. Not the best growing medium, but perfect for holding down the cardboard.
Third layer, I scavenged decayed leaves from several areas of the yard - enough to make a good thick layer, with some twigs mixed in.
Fourth layer (what's done so far), is good soil I'm digging up from around the remains of the roots of a huge hickory tree that came down in my yard several years ago. I've gotten one load spread, about 1/2 a yard, and tomorrow I'm adding another load... but, between the two I'm putting a thin layer of straw to give it some fiber.
The remaining layers will be good compost/manure/soil.
The plan is to have three sections for planting with removable wood plank between them for walking on. I'm going to plant in one section tomorrow, some squash and spinach seedlings I've started. This years spent plants will be worked into the same area - I haven't attempted a compost bin yet.
So, here's what it looks like now:
Any suggestions?
After building up the bed with odds & ends from the barn and a store-bought compost/manure/soil/sand mix I planted some yellow wax beans and snow peas on Aug. 15.
Two weeks later, and they're already reaching out for something to climb on!
I'm working on another area, 10' x 10' in the back yard that gets full sun and planted more of the same plus beets.
These are planted in rows north/south because I already had a small area worked up there. For the rest of the planting, I think I should plant rows east/west?
Here's how I layered that area: (I know it's not up to Mark's standards, but... I'm a noob
)First layer, thick cardboard to keep down the grass/weeds. I had really wanted to work the ground, loosen it up and work in the greens, but there is gravel about 2" down from where the drive used to be - at least there should be good drainage there.
Second layer, a 1/2 yard load of top soil from a sales yard. Not the best growing medium, but perfect for holding down the cardboard.
Third layer, I scavenged decayed leaves from several areas of the yard - enough to make a good thick layer, with some twigs mixed in.
Fourth layer (what's done so far), is good soil I'm digging up from around the remains of the roots of a huge hickory tree that came down in my yard several years ago. I've gotten one load spread, about 1/2 a yard, and tomorrow I'm adding another load... but, between the two I'm putting a thin layer of straw to give it some fiber.
The remaining layers will be good compost/manure/soil.
The plan is to have three sections for planting with removable wood plank between them for walking on. I'm going to plant in one section tomorrow, some squash and spinach seedlings I've started. This years spent plants will be worked into the same area - I haven't attempted a compost bin yet.
So, here's what it looks like now:
Any suggestions?
Yes, I've seen those videos, too. Maybe one day my garden will look as nice and tidy as his does now.
Lol
