Today I planted my peas! The first seeds to go into my new garden.
I brought three wheelbarrows full of loam down to one of my new raised beds. I added two 40 lb bags of composted cow manure, turned it, then raked the surface smooth. I planted two packages of 5 foot tall French snow pea seeds. For each, I cleared a 2 inch deep trench about 5-6 inches wide. Since I haven't planted peas in this soil before, I sprinkled on pea/bean innoculant, scattered the pea seeds, then covered the area. I added some 6 foot tall branches for supports. Our irrigation water isn't on yet, so the seeds will sprout when they get enough moisture.
We are in the process of applying to the Town Conservation Commission for a permit for this vegetable garden site since it's near wetlands: a pond and a seasonal brook. It doesn't seem that there is any problem getting the permit as the garden is all sustainable organic and we are planning work to avoid runoff and mitigate local wildlife habitat issues. But since we do not yet have "go ahead" approval, I am filling and planting one bed at a time. For this first planting, I used a minimum of soil - only 3-4 inches in an 8 inch raised bed. I think approval takes 3 weeks from submission, which will go in next week (hopefully). The submission will include all of the modifications that we plan for the house and yard. One of the modifications to the hose is the addition of a vegetable storage/root cellar that I look forward to filling up with home-grown vegetables.
5 comments:
Great idea using branches for support! I hope you get approval.
Janice
Oh, I just love the idea of using those branches! Do they actually work well as supports? I might try it.
-Kalyn
If you don't get approval, it all has to be taken out?
Wow - look at all those beds! I'm going to be carting some soil this weekend too. It's definitely the toughest part of the job when it comes to new beds. Good luck with the approval!
I'm not really sure of the approval process in the Town we've moved to. It sounds like we will get approval, but they want to review our plans as they may ask that we move things a bit one way or another, add measures to reduce drainage into wetlands, or add more native plants in the yard to compensate for all the domestic garden plants. I don't really know. I'm sure they want to know that I'm using sustainable organic methods, which I've told them I am - for my vegetable garden, fruit trees, chickens and the bees i hope to add soon. I'll publish parts of my narrative here if I get approval.
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