Winterizing for Spring

[zigs]

No, it's only green when it's first quarried, the iron mineral Glauconite very quickly oxidises to a yellow colour

 

[Chuck]

No, it's only green when it's first quarried, the iron mineral Glauconite very quickly oxidises to a yellow colour

Now I don't know about that changing colors thing. When I first made the garden I have now I bought 20 forty lb bags of the stuff and it didn't change colors at all. But that greensand was mined here in Texas. Apparently Texas sand decided it would be green and refused to change its mind. I know there is such a thing as washed sand but I had no idea there was such a thing as wishy washy sand

 

[zigs]

Must be drier in Texas then

 

[Chuck]

Must be drier in Texas then

Really????? I'd never have thunked it

 

[Chuck]

As you can see I am still plodding along winterizing and planning for what I will plant and where I will plant it come spring, if it ever gets here. As you can see from the pic this row is wider than the row that was shown at the beginning of this thread. I designed it that way because I usually grow row crops like beans or peas in it and I can grow more plants using less water This past summer it was purple hull peas, 3 rows. Next week after this freeze is over I will sow 4 oz of spinach seeds and next year there will be 3 rows of cucumbers on fence wire. Also next week I will remove every other one of those PVC pipes shown in pic 2 and plant Swiss Chard in its place. I have been pouring compost tea down them for some time now and the soil is perfect. Next year where the remaining pipes are will be my sweet pepper row. As you can see in pic 3 I didn't dig a trench, I just raked away the soil about 4" deep and filled it up with compost. I only dig a deep trench where I will be planting deep rooted plants like tomatos or peppers and spinach and cucumbers aren't all that deep rooted. In pic 4 you can see where I haven't started working on the row but it will be done exactly the same as the one next to it. I will be sowing 4 oz of beets in it next week and come spring it will be small fruited cantaloupes growing on that fence wire leaning up against my "armadillo proof" fence. Pic 5 shows two rows that will be trenched. I can't grow anything there in the Winter because they are on the west side of the garden and there are a lot of tall trees throwing a lot of shade starting about 1 o'clock but they will be trenched, filled with compost, PVC pipes placed at each spot a tomato will be and watered with compost tea

 

[R.R.]

That's a lot of work, but I bet it's worth it!

 

[Chuck]

That's a lot of work, but I bet it's worth it!

Let's just say I don't have to spend much at the grocery store. You would be surprised at how little time it takes to make a row ready for planting. Those rows in the pics are 42 feet long and from start to finish it takes about 3 hours. It takes me all day to do one though. I take a lot of beer breaks

 

[headfullofbees]

Let's just say I don't have to spend much at the grocery store. You would be surprised at how little time it takes to make a row ready for planting. Those rows in the pics are 42 feet long and from start to finish it takes about 3 hours. It takes me all day to do one though. I take a lot of beer breaks

I'm surprised your rows are so straight.

 

[Chuck]

I'm surprised your rows are so straight.

Ha! But what you don't see is that the garden is on the side of a hill. I consider all those beer breaks as not only necessary but mandatory, otherwise it would look like I was going around in circles. All that beer more or less levels the playing field, so to speak

 

[headfullofbees]

Beer is also an excellent source of nitrogen.

 

[Chuck]

Beer is also an excellent source of nitrogen.

Especially when used

 

[headfullofbees]

Especially when used

 

[zigs]

Lookin good Chuck

Carry on with the nitrogen input