BTE, hugelkulture, hydroponics and other unconventional gardening

[Lazy Gardener]

Your reply re: buttercup made me laugh! I can see why you would doubt my sanity! Buttercup is a kind of Winter squash. Typically, it grows 3 - 4#.

https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/seeds_images/1628.jpg

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Note to self: When a plant fails to thrive, check it over with a magnifying glass. I discovered a heavy infestation of 2 spotted spider mites in almost all of the plants in front of one window. I've been chasing mites for almost a week now, giving them repeat sprays dilute with Simple Green followed by heavy water spray. Harvested all the dill in one pot rather than mess with the mite infestation in the ferns. I'm hoping that it was caught before moving onto the plants in the other window, and before doing lethal damage to my egg plants. A lot of leaf burn from soap concentration. But... rather that than the mites.

The plants spared included a window box full of geraniums, some day lily seedlings, Citronella, and Rosemary.

 

[Hinotori]

I got Mom using Neem oil a few years ago. There was some critter infestation on her peach tree that I can't remember. She didn't want anything toxic with it having fruit. The Neem oil surprised her with how well it worked after I convinced her it was safe

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Hugelkulture:

Newest bit of info: My latest Kratky container is a plastic opaque shoe box with (3) 2" net pots, hydroton media. I put a rosemary cutting, basil cutting, and seeds in each of the 3 pots. Direct seeding into a pot is not recommended b/c the seeds fall through into the water. But, enough seeds landed on the pellets to take root, and I now have some lettuce and kale making an appearance. I had also tucked in some Swiss chard seeds. No appearance from them yet. Note to self: the next time I attempt this method, I will get the nutrient level at the optimum height, then dip a pellet in some seeds, and set that pellet into the net pot. Should work like a charm without loosing seeds into the solution. I don't know if rotting seedlings in the solution will be problematic.

The rosemary and basil cuttings have an upturned yogurt container over them to hold moisture and cut sunlight.

All of this is an experiment: "What would happen if..."

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Been working on cleaning up the garden. The previous layers of mulch have mostly disappeared. Some of the mountains of wood chips at the town dump composting facility are not frozen. Very fresh chips, finely ground, mostly soft wood. I don't want to be using fresh chips, and there is some cedar mixed in. But, I don't want to wait any later in the season for more aged chips to thaw out. So... I'll get what I can, when I can get it. So far, I've spread 15 barrels full of chips/stable litter, and have an other 7 barrels waiting on the truck for me to spread later this week, after the next rain storm.

The chickens have been free ranging, tearing the back yard up. I stood and watched one hen for about 10 minutes, as she worked an area that was about 1 sq. ft. During that time, I watched her eat 11 white grubs from that tiny little spot. (Multiply that: 30 chickens, x 12 hours/day. That's a LOT of grubs!) Hubby doesn't like them tearing up the lawn, but... if they don't tear it up and eat the grubs, the grubs will kill the lawn anyways!

Tearing out the borer infested raspberry plants, plan to start young plants in a new bed, along with some asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries! HUBBY HAS RELUCTANTLY GIVEN PERMISSION FOR ME TO PUT A PERENNIAL BED IN FRONT OF THE FENCED PORTION OF THE GARDEN. OF COURSE, THIS AREA WILL ALSO NEED TO BE FENCED, BUT I CAN ADD AN OTHER 8' OF CP TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

My boss, has a husband who is a student at the local tech school: Welding. Last summer, I asked him if he might be interested in making a broad fork for me. He was non committal, so I said nothing more about it. Friday, boss called me into her office, and showed me a pic of a broad fork he's been working on for me!!! I am beyond excited. So... I might have a broad fork soon!

 

[Beekissed]

They aren't treated with an herbicide...or not one anyone will admit to, commercially...but something called a sprout inhibitor. There are three such chemicals on the market for use. They have a shelf life, so soon wear off, as anyone who has ever kept spuds in a dark cupboard and later find them sprouting like crazy will find out.

I've planted these with no problems and didn't notice a lack in yield from them, other than a lower yield according to the type of spud they were. I found, if they will grow spuds when you throw them out on a compost bin, they will do the same in the garden.

One article I read said don't cut them up like you do seed spuds, but I did and it didn't matter.

 

[Pjhomestead]

They aren't treated with an herbicide...or not one anyone will admit to, commercially...but something called a sprout inhibitor. There are three such chemicals on the market for use. They have a shelf life, so soon wear off, as anyone who has ever kept spuds in a dark cupboard and later find them sprouting like crazy will find out.

I've planted these with no problems and didn't notice a lack in yield from them, other than a lower yield according to the type of spud they were. I found, if they will grow spuds when you throw them out on a compost bin, they will do the same in the garden.

One article I read said don't cut them up like you do seed spuds, but I did and it didn't matter.

I have also planted them with no issues and had a good crop

 

[Lazy Gardener]

That would be my guess. I'm also thinking that the poisons in our diets are directly related to the increase of cancer diagnoses, and autoimmune illnesses.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I was looking at my comfrey in the orchard today, realizing that it's time for me to get out there and harvest. I plan to place a layer over the weedy grass clippings that are now mulching the potatoes. May make some comfrey compost tea also.

https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/7-ways-to-fertilize-the-garden-with-comfrey/

And, here's an other fun article:

https://www.thecapecoop.com/top-six-herbs-grow-chickens/

 

[Lazy Gardener]

@Lazy Gardener, we have an HK started too. That tractor sure would be nice!

Ours is long, maybe 50', and about 8-10 feet wide. We've been piling wood as we clear brush. Our plan was to cover it with compost from the county (free), but the last several times I was there, the man wasn't there to load it. I'm hoping to catch him soon. Then we plan on covering it with old hay. Right now its a half completed mess and possibly a snake bed. I need to get it finished or gone soon.
Our hope is that this area will keep rain water from the ridge behind us from continually flooding the back lawn and directing the water along the HK mound to the drainage ditch along the edge of the property.

I've been looking for the book, but it's probably been over a decade. It talked about fresh wood chips being used in the garden and the nitrogen issue. Decaying items will release nitrogen later on. It recommended just adding some high nitrogen fertilizer like chicken litter when first tilled in.

@milkmansdaughter : The best time to start a HK is when you have some materials to use! Mine is about 5 - 8' W x 35'. I started building it by hand about 5 years ago. It is built into a drop off between "civilized" yard, and a drop off into bony wet bramble area. No trenching involved in the area I built by hand. And I covered it with leaves, grass clippings, garden debris as it became available. I finished the first half of it. I did it in "bite sized chunks: usually building an 8' section at a time. Then hubby and I have (mostly) completed the back half, including trenching it with the aid of the borrowed kubota. It will be interesting to see how the trenched and soil covered area compares with the front end!

As for getting county compost loaded... what a blessing that is! We used to be able to have it loaded as well (from our town transfer station) until some bozo used a rake owned by the town to empty trash from his truck, didn't put it back, and it fell and scratched the paint of the vehicle of the next patron. Since then, they've absolutely refused to load for residents due to liability concerns. I'd be happy to sign a waver, but... since then, I have to load by hand. Your plan of using HK for management of water run off on your property is sound. It should work very well, especially if you have been able to trench before laying in your first layer of logs.

@Hinotori: Agreed, adding N as needed should cover the plant needs if there is any N robbing from the woody material being added to the soil. This is where farming becomes an art: Anticipating a need, and meeting that need before it becomes a problem. Meeting the need without going overboard. Current recommendations are to add the material to the surface of the soil, instead of tilling it in. While a lot of folks continue to till in compost and manure, there is a growing trend to lay even these materials on top of the soil, and let the microbes and worms work at the soil/compost interface. I have become a fan of no till gardening, and am of the opinion that the soil structure is improved by NOT disturbing it any more than necessary. This is why I love my broad fork. It allows me to loosen the soil without churning up the layers.