The results of the seedling heat mat experiment were great! Although I also used a grow light as well this year and stayed away from the waterlogged, zero nutrient peat pellets. Here is a pic of the nursery right now (after I sent 6 tomato plants away to a good home for adoption).
I've been reading a lot of garden books. I'm on my 3rd book in 4 weeks! I tried something out of one of the books called "trench composting". Basically I keep a Tupperware on my kitchen counter and throw vegetable and egg scraps in it, as well as coffee grounds, until it gets full. I then go to the garden and dig a trench between the rows, about 6" or so.
I then put my scraps in (green material), then a layer of leaves (brown material) and cover it up with soil!
There are a bunch of ways to compost, but this one involves no equipment or unsightly compost pile, and no turning the heap or watching temperature, etc. With this method, by the time the young plants begin to grow deep roots, the compost will have rotted and those roots will find nice, rich soil. Plus it attracts worms. I am pretty sure this is the same method my grandfather used, although I didn't know it had an official name.
I bought some plants for the bees, and it was so surprising and heartwarming to find a bee on the new bush daisy the moment I took it out back to plant it. It was still in the pot, in the dump cart, and that bee found it while I was digging the hole. :)
The bee house is up again, this time in the proper season, and this is what it looks like.
This is what the START of the backyard bee garden looks like. More plants to be added...I will then lay weed cloth and mulch.
I've started prep on the front flower beds and will start filling them in in March, as we just had a frost which took a toll on some of my and my neighbors' plants.
Mushroom compost is my new best friend! It's so rich and full of nutrients. I am using it everywhere!
I've been reading a lot of garden books. I'm on my 3rd book in 4 weeks! I tried something out of one of the books called "trench composting". Basically I keep a Tupperware on my kitchen counter and throw vegetable and egg scraps in it, as well as coffee grounds, until it gets full. I then go to the garden and dig a trench between the rows, about 6" or so.
I then put my scraps in (green material), then a layer of leaves (brown material) and cover it up with soil!
There are a bunch of ways to compost, but this one involves no equipment or unsightly compost pile, and no turning the heap or watching temperature, etc. With this method, by the time the young plants begin to grow deep roots, the compost will have rotted and those roots will find nice, rich soil. Plus it attracts worms. I am pretty sure this is the same method my grandfather used, although I didn't know it had an official name.
I bought some plants for the bees, and it was so surprising and heartwarming to find a bee on the new bush daisy the moment I took it out back to plant it. It was still in the pot, in the dump cart, and that bee found it while I was digging the hole. :)
The bee house is up again, this time in the proper season, and this is what it looks like.
This is what the START of the backyard bee garden looks like. More plants to be added...I will then lay weed cloth and mulch.
I've started prep on the front flower beds and will start filling them in in March, as we just had a frost which took a toll on some of my and my neighbors' plants.
Mushroom compost is my new best friend! It's so rich and full of nutrients. I am using it everywhere!
posted from Bloggeroid
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