Saturday, September 20, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Breaking Ground
Today we began one of the most important steps in any garden...getting the soil ready. We chose a small patch near the side of the house which gets lots of sun. We will grow lots of yummy food just outside the door!
Our preferred method today: Sheet Mulching.
You can build new garden beds full of rich, fertile soil without ever putting a hand on a shovel! Sheet mulching, also known as sheet composting, layers cardboard, compost, and vegetative matter right on top of lawns or weedy areas. Over the course of a few months the mulch and the underlying sod and weeds decompose. Sheet mulching increases the population of beneficial soil microbes and worms, improves soil's capacity to retain nutrients and water, and reduces weeds. But the best thing about sheet mulch is it creates fantastic new garden spaces with only a small amount of effort on your part!
Gidget and I decided to get rid of most of the crab grass roots (that have taken over the yard) so we actually worked way more than we expected, however, it was a blast! Alta, Gidget's mom helped and offered great guidance. She grew up on a farm and is currently growing her own food a few blocks away. Will also helped water, a very important step to the entire process. Most guidelines ask that you water for 2 hours. We've taken Ray Cirino's advice and soaked the cardboard and then watered once all the layers were down, using much less water.
Our preferred method today: Sheet Mulching.
You can build new garden beds full of rich, fertile soil without ever putting a hand on a shovel! Sheet mulching, also known as sheet composting, layers cardboard, compost, and vegetative matter right on top of lawns or weedy areas. Over the course of a few months the mulch and the underlying sod and weeds decompose. Sheet mulching increases the population of beneficial soil microbes and worms, improves soil's capacity to retain nutrients and water, and reduces weeds. But the best thing about sheet mulch is it creates fantastic new garden spaces with only a small amount of effort on your part!
Gidget and I decided to get rid of most of the crab grass roots (that have taken over the yard) so we actually worked way more than we expected, however, it was a blast! Alta, Gidget's mom helped and offered great guidance. She grew up on a farm and is currently growing her own food a few blocks away. Will also helped water, a very important step to the entire process. Most guidelines ask that you water for 2 hours. We've taken Ray Cirino's advice and soaked the cardboard and then watered once all the layers were down, using much less water.
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