Posts by stephanie
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Maybe it is time to start the no till garden and begin the layering process? news paper,manure,dirt, wood chips leave in layers don't till them in at all. then just separate the chips and replant.
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580 Posts
I have figured on doing the back to Eden gardening type, for one bed next spring but will get it ready this fall for next spring planting. I live on a gravel pit of large and small rocks some as big as pick up trucks. it drains too well and no matter how much I pick rocks more just pop up and we are talking some the size of giant potatoes. the soil drains well but doesn't hold water at all so even amending and tilling doesn't work here but the lasagna gardening type does work and the back to EDEN works on the same principal. It will work with hard clay type soils also or any type of soil. worst case is you try it in a 10 foot x 10 foot area or smaller and see how it works for you if it fails you tried if it is a success you expand the idea to the rest of the area one strip at a time or all at once. I haven't tilled in three years now and won't till ever if I have my way. I can plant early with the lasagna beds as early as april first it still snows some times on april first have pic to prove it. but the beds are warmer and the dirt is easy to move aside and put seeds in. I just do crops that like to start in the cold first. then they get done and I can do some warmer weather crops in the second go around.
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580 Posts
after a few years even with adding amendment to the soil the good microbes tend to die off thus rendering the soil sterile and nothing can grow without huge amounts of fertilizers plus the soil becomes more compacted between tilling. air gets worked in with planting root veggies such as carrots,beets,turnips,parsnips,potatoes. the other plus is the only tool you need is a rake. because with this method the soil stays soft and moist even in dry climates and even in clay like soils it will stay nice and easy to work. the soil will hold water better so this means less watering. here go watch the video this guy has not tilled in 15 yrs and has a fabulous garden year round.http://backtoedenfilm.com/ yes he uses religious proverbs allot but if you are not into that just ignore that part and focus on the way he does this.
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580 Posts
no cover crops at all and no weeds to mow over if you follow the method he does and he gets a huge harvest every year, he also will do a tour of his garden so you can see it first hand but that is in sequim wa.
he has had people all over the states do this with different soil types and each works beautifully year after year.
he has had people all over the states do this with different soil types and each works beautifully year after year.
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580 Posts
cool, love to see gardens working with easy and not allot of back breaking work to get a harvest. I too do lasagna beds some deeper than others for the reason my elderly mother likes to go pick and has a hard time bending/kneeling. plus I hate to till lol
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