Ten Years and All is Well. Mostly.
5 months ago
Monday, July 13, 2009
Adding it up
I just added up all the harvest I have had and from my blogs, I think I have totaled 24 1/2 lbs! While that doesn't even come close to most of you guys' totals, I am very happy! When my tomatoes and watermelon come in, I will be increasing that dramatically. I am so excited! Next year I am seriously thinking of tilling up some of the land instead of buying my soil. Still go with the square foot method, just modify my current soil. It is really getting expensive with the wood and soil. A 4x4 box costs $9 for the wood and about $30 for the soil (the really really good soil). If I just till the soil I have and amend it with peat moss ($4 a 2 square foot bag) and some peralite ($4 I think) with some 10-10-10 fertilizer that I already have and the compost I have been making for the past 6 months, then I should get a good yield from that (ya think?). Anyway, just thinking. Depends on what the economy does between now and then. I might not even be able to FIND this!
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Most of the reason I like my beds is A: no weeding, but B: I don't have to bend so far. C: I don't have to use heavy tilling equiptment. However, if you have the equiptment, you COULD save a ton in the long run.
ReplyDeleteUntil just a few years ago, I did raised beds (no wood sides) with my own soil, amended as you said (except no perlite or vermiculite) and had lovely gardens with very little weeding. I just raked the soil into 3'-4' wide mounds, forming pathways in between. I still did intensive wide row planting, similar to SFG. Manure, chopped leaves and a scattering of balanced fertilizer and it was good to go. I never walked on the beds, and never had to till them.
ReplyDeleteRibbit-I have a tiller. I hate it because it is horrid to keep steady but I know I can do it. Weeding would be the worst. I do have weeds now, but not like that would be. I will still have to bend the same amount so that wouldn't be any different! lol
ReplyDeleteGranny-How did you keep the weeds down? Just keep putting soil on top? I think if it is an addition to my SFG area, then add this. I wouldnt see how it would hurt! Even if I cant get to peat moss and vermiculite or peralight then I could amend the soil with compost....hopefully :)