Transplanting the Seedlings

This week has been a busy one with Pap and I trying to get our seedlings into the ground. The weather has been pretty nuts with a few frosts all the way into the first week of April. Of course this prevented us from transplanting until the weather warmed up!

Pap did try a new technique in the garden called double dig. There is some controversy surrounding this method, and it is a very intensive physically demanding technique. Basically, it involves removing the top layer of soil to the depth of a spade in a trench format and setting it aside. Then loosening the soil underneath and adding compost, manure and other amendments before adding the soil back to the top layer. Many people say this is just alot of extra work which can be done more simply by tilling or mixing in your soil and amendments to the top layer. The other side of the argument says this technique helps with aeration, drainage, and that more veggies are reaped from this type of bed. So we will see! The area Pap did the double dig is where the corn will go along with squash and beans. Yes, we love to plant using the three Sisters method. This is a companion gardening method where you plant your corn, add a squash or two below the corn ,and then add peas around base of corn. The corn grows, and the peas trellis up and around the corn. 

Here is a picture of the soil bed that Pap did the double dig on. Only a gardener can truly appreciate a picture of only dirt! Right!

We transplanted squash, a few varieties of peppers, eggplant, zucchinis, cucumbers, and planted seeds of marigolds and nasturtiums between some of the beds. These are flowers that help control some of the un-beneficial insects. Apparently, some "bad" insects are repelled by these flowers. Nasturtiums and marigolds also help attract pollinators along with other beneficial insects.

Here are some of our transplants grown from seeds. They were busting at the seams in their little containers, and now stand happy and tall in the ground.

 Happy Gardening!

 .

Rocks from Field

The top part of our field sits atop a large conglomerate of big rocks. Last year we did the no-till method of gardening and put mounds of soil on top of grass to plant our vegetables. We did have lots of success, and harvested pumpkins, corn, squash, beans in this same area where Pap has tilled and is now digging up large rocks. Wanting to go bigger in our efforts of farming we made the decision to till this year. As you can see in the pictures, Pap is building rock altars and I must say I love them!

We have many seedlings that are sprouting up in the greenhouse and inside our kitchen windows. They are patiently waiting until the soil warms up to be planted. In the meantime we are preparing the beds, the field and the tilled rows, and uncovering many beautiful rocks. Some of the soil amendments we are using are lava sand, cotton bur compost along with our own homemade compost, horse manure and corn meal. We are also purchasing beneficial nematodes this year with hopes it will control some of the insect problem we had last year. These are beneficial microbes in the soil that help control grub worms, larvae, fleas and other un-beneficial insects. I am sure our dogs will love being less flea bit this year too!