I am gradually turning the beds on the west side of my plot that were seeded with cover crops and layered with manure over the winter. These rich soils will be planted with squashes and corn soon.
The east side of my plot has unammended soils this year. These beds are planted already with lots of roots (carrots, beets, onions, garlic, radish etc). Also peas and fava beans. Soon I will plant beans. I am planning to do a lot with beans this year. I have a seeds for bush green beans and a wonderful variety of Chinese pole beans. One of my favorite beans is soy, for edamame. Last year I failed in growing these because the chipmunks eat the seeds as fast as I could plant them, even when I covered them until they sprouted. This year I will try sprouting at home and transplanting seedlings to my plot.
Looks absolutely wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying pole beans for the very first time this year!
It is looking really good Kathy!
ReplyDeleteI grew edamame last year and I don't think that I will grow them again. I grew a single 25' row of edamame, but after they were blanched and depodded (is that a word??) I had two sandwich size ziplocs full!!!! For all the time, land, and effort, not to mention the worry over the aphids that LOVE these plants, I will buy a bag of them from Maine at the grocery store for $2.50! Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! Thanks for doing it!
I find the flavor of fresh picked edamame is excellent. Much better than frozen.
ReplyDeleteThe trick is to pick them, run to the stove and blanch 3 minutes, salt the pods with large crystal salt, and then run the edamame out to the patio which has to be all set up already for relaxing. Then you sit with an even fresher martini and enjoy popping and eating the edamame one at a time. Cheers!
Hi Kathy, wow your peas sure are up! Mine are only a couple of inches. I was shocked to discover my raised beds soil ph is 7 - neutral or perfect as the test said. Not so perfect for tomatoes so I will be adding several bags of soil acidifier. Have you ever done this? I assumed it would need lime, but apparently all the compost does make the soil "perfect" though as I said, not for most veggies. This area is going to be a study for me - how to get the right soil for the crops I'm growing. My ignorance has been holding me back, so time to study up!
ReplyDeleteBetsy
Sounds like you're doing great in figuring out pH!
ReplyDeleteI also have high pH in my side yard. I add acidifier fertilizer (holly tone) for the shrubs like rhodos and blueberries. But haven't modified it for the vegetables. Its probably time I should check pH again. Its been a few years now.
I'm reading a great book now on soil. Its fascinating what goes on down there. I'll look up the title soon. Someone left a comment and recommended it and I'm really enjoying it. My bedtime reading....
Community gardens are an excellent idea.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame the chipmunks. I'd eat your soy beans, too, if I could get 'em. I grew them one year, but didn't get much of a crop, maybe I'll try again this year. Not from seed, from little garden center plants. Whatever works. Cheers to you!
ReplyDeleteYou have a great garden. I wish our community garden were raised beds but aren't so I just mounded the soil of my 3 rows to mimic my home raised beds.
ReplyDelete