I'm officially entering my second growing season! I've learned a lot and have made a short list of things I gotta do for the up coming garden.
5. keep a rotation of seedlings going. I'm not sure why I haven't thought of this sooner. Continuing to sow seeds means you always have something to replace what was harvested. A quick plant rotation and more produce.
4. Compost tea. Yum! John raves about compost teas like Boogie Brew. I've even read this can act as pest control when sprayed on the leaves. It seems easy to make with just a few items to purchase.
3. Mulch. I added mulch to the front beds last year. It wasn't too expensive, prevented weeds and looked great! For a weed blocker I used news paper and will NEVER use it again. I used it in the backyard over grass and have been pulling grass ever since. Newspaper just doesn't seem tough even for Texas grass. This year, I plan to use sheet mulching under the soil which is just card board. Mulching just doesn't block the weeds from seeding, it helps keep moisture.
2. Rock Dust. I almost made this my #1. I haven't heard a bad thing about rock dust. Rock Dust is another thing John raves about. This year I'm using a rock dust called Azomite. There's not many places this stuff is sold in Texas. I had to drive 20 miles to Roach Feed and Seed to purchase it. I know it's worth every penny. I was close to buying two bags, but will start with one. It's a cute feed store, so I don't mind going back. Rock dust is simply minerals plants love. They will grow bigger and produce more whether you have edibles or not. The best thing about it is we get to eat the minerals the plant used to grow.
1. permaculture. polyculture. I'm learning. I want to grow more native plants, flowers to attract birds and bees, and incorporate more principals.
Just a few simple things to help nature grow me food. Hopefully, at the end of the season, I can report how beneficial all of these were for my garden.
Labels: Forest Garden Planning
