garden news-more plantings

GARDEN NEWS-MORE PLANTINGS

this bed was prepped about a week ago
first the black drip tape was removed
then the bed was raked with a special 3 ft rake to remove any debris on the bed and to smooth out the surface

if we have enough compost we put a 3-4 inch layer of compost on the bed
then a sprinkling of an organic fertilizer was then applied at the recommended levels on the bed

then the outside drip tape is replaced to provide a border for the new bed
then a 3 foot wide broadfork is then used to loosen up the soil
it has about 10 inch tines that go deep into the soil
this moves the compost and fertilizer into the holes the tines make and also makes tunnels for water and nutrients and plant roots to easily move into without disrupting the soil like a tiller does
and there is no chopped up earthworms
then the bed is raked smooth again
then the three drip tapes are replaced 
the drip holes are 6 inches apart on the strips of drip tape
now
its ready to plant

if we have time we like to do the beds a few weeks before planting
this time its only been a week


we planted these dark green zucchini squash plus some yellow straight neck squash in this bed
these 30 squashes were planted on one side two feet apart
then
the other side is staggered one foot and planted two feet apart
the squash were watered well with a fish emulsion solution as below prior to planting


in the hole we used this worm compost at about a couple of tbsp per hole
we watered the plant in after planting with this fish emulsion plus seaweed mixture


we dug a planting hole wider and deeper than the plant
the worm compost is added into the hole
its troweled in well in the bottom of the hole so that the soil around the new plant will be lose and fertilized
then the squash is planted at the same level as it is in the pot
a well is made around the plant
then
the fish emulsion solution is used to water in the squash plant


this is what it looks like when we are finished
these squash will be ready for harvest in a few weeks
all of it will be donated to shelters food kitchens etc

we recently planted 120 tomatoes who will have the same fate as the squash
we planted early girl celebration sweet 100 big boy san marzano black krim
later we will plant more tomatoes for a fall crop

today we will plant a long row of pole beans
long green beans french beans pole green beans and a native bean called skunk beans
they look like a smaller version of the christmas lima beans but are black
thus the name skunk beans
i was worried it was about the smell or something

these black skunk beans were given to us at the seed swap last weekend
the beans are an american indian native bean
we look forward to the seeing them grow and to see how they taste
if they are half as good as the christmas limas that will be a good thing

soon we will be planting our peppers and egg plants 
we have growing also in the green house a trumpet squash and a tatume squash
both are a proliferative squash that likes warm weather
they will all be donated also

yep its a busy time in he garden
theres more plantings to come

these plants at the sale below are the ones i plant in my garden and in the community garden


the organicgreen doctor