It's that time of year. Every January and February I just really want to garden. More so than even in summer when I have to actually make myself do garden work 
The last couple of years I've just done a few things in a couple of beds. I don't have a large garden plot or a tractor or cultivator to use to make one and I feel bad bothering my landlord just to let everything go to weeds But this year I'm going to change that! There's about a thousand and one different ways to garden between plots, rows, beds, raised beds, straw gardening, hydroponics, blah blah blah. Well I think I'm going to fanangle some silage tarp and try that.
Last summer my landlady tried some grain bag tarp and had good success with that. So going on what she learnt and how I think things may work best, I'm going to try my hand at it. If all goes to plan, I won't actually have to break up any dirt, I'll just cover the ground with the tarp before it thaws in spring. This should help warm the soil up quicker for my little seeds, and kill all the grass underneath by depriving it of it's favourite life giving nutrient. Hopefully the root systems and grass will help fuel the garden with fresh biomass. I'm also thinking of laying down a layer of straw and chicken house cleanings under the tarp. For watering I'm hoping to rig up something with a soaker hose underneath the tarp.
All in all the tarp should:
- Warm the soil up quicker and provide a nice, warm environment.
- Stop weeds from growing!
- Help conserve water.
However I also see it being annoying and hot to walk on... so that may be a negative to it I'm also unsure how certain plants like carrots and beets will work. While I'm not stuck in a row mentality, it seems like it may be a method that needs tweaking for plants that do their growing in little spots under ground vs spreading out above ground.
Potential issues include:
- Maybe getting too hot underneath. Can't decide if I want to do black side or white side down.
- Issues with root veggies.
- Annoying to walk on.
Another thing I'm really interested in trying and actually getting to work is companion planting. While I've tried this before, my pathetic black thumb and my escaping calves have tended to mean that the only thing that lives is tomatoes. And one year many, many, many zucchini Because winter gives a person a lot of time to plan, here's my Grade A architectural blue print of what I'm thinking!
Now there won't be a big empty place in the middle... I'll space my plants better than my words. I also plan on scattering onions, garlic, lettuce, spinach, radishes and marigolds around hither tither. My biggest area of concern is the cows as they're rotated around by a hotwire in summer so that will be all that's separating them from the garden. I'll buff it up a bit and they're usually pretty good at not reaching over or under it (the buff up will be more to keep calves out), but I have tried to pick plants that people have experienced their cows mowing down on less. Obviously since I've only been able to grow tomatoes before they should be fairly safe, and winter squashes seem to not be a cow favourite. Plus this way they can take off into the pasture if they want to vine that way.
Again, those beets and carrots aren't convincing me. I may end up doing a couple different "beds" of them spread around.
Anyone have any thoughts or contributions? I find I'm good at missing glaringly obvious things at times hah. Share your plans too! So we can all steal from one another
The last couple of years I've just done a few things in a couple of beds. I don't have a large garden plot or a tractor or cultivator to use to make one and I feel bad bothering my landlord just to let everything go to weeds
But this year I'm going to change that! There's about a thousand and one different ways to garden between plots, rows, beds, raised beds, straw gardening, hydroponics, blah blah blah. Well I think I'm going to fanangle some silage tarp and try that.Last summer my landlady tried some grain bag tarp and had good success with that. So going on what she learnt and how I think things may work best, I'm going to try my hand at it. If all goes to plan, I won't actually have to break up any dirt, I'll just cover the ground with the tarp before it thaws in spring. This should help warm the soil up quicker for my little seeds, and kill all the grass underneath by depriving it of it's favourite life giving nutrient. Hopefully the root systems and grass will help fuel the garden with fresh biomass. I'm also thinking of laying down a layer of straw and chicken house cleanings under the tarp. For watering I'm hoping to rig up something with a soaker hose underneath the tarp.
All in all the tarp should:
- Warm the soil up quicker and provide a nice, warm environment.
- Stop weeds from growing!
- Help conserve water.
However I also see it being annoying and hot to walk on... so that may be a negative to it
I'm also unsure how certain plants like carrots and beets will work. While I'm not stuck in a row mentality, it seems like it may be a method that needs tweaking for plants that do their growing in little spots under ground vs spreading out above ground.Potential issues include:
- Maybe getting too hot underneath. Can't decide if I want to do black side or white side down.
- Issues with root veggies.
- Annoying to walk on.
Another thing I'm really interested in trying and actually getting to work is companion planting. While I've tried this before, my pathetic black thumb and my escaping calves have tended to mean that the only thing that lives is tomatoes. And one year many, many, many zucchini
Because winter gives a person a lot of time to plan, here's my Grade A architectural blue print of what I'm thinking!
Now there won't be a big empty place in the middle... I'll space my plants better than my words. I also plan on scattering onions, garlic, lettuce, spinach, radishes and marigolds around hither tither. My biggest area of concern is the cows as they're rotated around by a hotwire in summer so that will be all that's separating them from the garden. I'll buff it up a bit and they're usually pretty good at not reaching over or under it (the buff up will be more to keep calves out), but I have tried to pick plants that people have experienced their cows mowing down on less. Obviously since I've only been able to grow tomatoes before they should be fairly safe, and winter squashes seem to not be a cow favourite. Plus this way they can take off into the pasture if they want to vine that way.
Again, those beets and carrots aren't convincing me. I may end up doing a couple different "beds" of them spread around.
Anyone have any thoughts or contributions? I find I'm good at missing glaringly obvious things at times hah. Share your plans too! So we can all steal from one another
