Hugelkultur

Wooden debris will decompose faster,
(and be transformed into a resource)
when hugelkultur techniques are
employed.

If you have trees that were taken down from Sandy, this is a great way to make something good out of the destruction.

Used for centuries in Eastern Europe and Germany, hugelkultur (in German hugelkultur translates roughly as “mound culture”) is a gardening and farming technique whereby woody debris (fallen branches and/or logs) are used as a resource.
Often employed in permaculture systems, hugelkultur allows gardeners and farmers to mimic the nutrient cycling found in a natural woodland to realize several benefits. Woody debris (and other detritus) that falls to the forest floor can readily become sponge like, soaking up rainfall and releasing it slowly into the surrounding soil, thus making this moisture available to nearby plants.
Hugelkultur garden beds (and hugelkultur ditches and swales) using the same principle to:

• Help retain moisture on site
• Build soil fertility
• Improve drainage
• Use woody debris that is unsuitable for other use

Applicable on a variety of sites, hugelkultur is particularly well suited for areas that present a challenge to gardeners. Urban lots with compacted soils, areas with poor drainage, limited moisture, etc., can be significantly improved using a hugelkultur technique, as hugelkultur beds are, essentially, large, layered compost piles covered with a growing medium into which a garden is planted.
Creating a hugelkultur garden bed is a relatively simple process:
1. Select an area with approximately these dimensions: 6 feet by 3 feet
2. Gather materials for the project:

• Fallen logs, branches, twigs, fallen leaves (the “under utilized” biomass from the site). Avoid using cedar, walnut or other tree species deemed allelopathic.
• Nitrogen rich material (manure or kitchen waste work well and will help to maintain a proper carbon to nitrogen ratio in the decomposing mass within the hugelkulter bed).
• Top soil (enough to cover the other layers of the bed with a depth of 1 – 2”) and some mulching material (straw works well).

3. Lay the logs (the largest of the biomass debris) down as the first layer of the hugelkulter bed. Next, add a layer of branches, then a layer of small sticks and twigs. Hugelkultur beds work best when they are roughly 3 feet high (though this method is forgiving, and there is no fixed rule as to the size of the bed. That is where the “art” comes in!)
4. Water these layers well
5. Begin filling in spaces between the logs, twigs and branches with leaf litter and manure of kitchen scraps.
6. Finally, top off the bed with 1 – 2” of top soil and a layer of mulch.
The hugelkulter bed will benefit from “curing” a bit, so it is best to prepare the bed several months prior to planting time (prepare the bed in the fall for a spring planting, for example, in temperate northern climates), but hugelkultur beds can be planted immediately. Plant seeds or transplants into the hugelkulter bed as you would any other garden bed. Happy hugelkulturing!

End of summer

Another summer has swiftly come to an end.  The garden is still producing baskets of produce.  My freezer is filling up and I am looking forward to a slow down in the garden.

Here is a quick recap of the summer.  Our corn did great this year.  We planted honey select and it was delicious.  We picked approx. 450 ears - froze some, sold some and ate some.  We had 7 fifty foot rows so we were happy with the amount of ears that were produced.  We watered twice - once when the corn was waist high and once when it started to tassle.  When planting the seed, vermicompost was sprinkled on top of the seeds before closing the furrow.  Leaf mulch was spread between the rows and we side dressed with compost after the corn was about 1 foot high.  I went through the rows once or twice and pulled the few weeds that emerged (maybe 15 min. total spent weeding).

I have struggled with the tomatoes this year.  They developed septoria leaf spot.  They look ugly but are still producing nice tomatoes.  I sprayed the tomatoes specifically with compost tea that had trichoderma added to the brewing cycle.  Nothing else was done.  Trichoderma fungi is a beneficial fungi that occurs naturally in the soil.  It will consume disease causing fungi.  Most diseases that affect tomatoes are fungal - early blight, late blight, leaf spot.  I did not start spraying soon enough to prevent the disease from occurring but the spray definately held it at bay.

I am picking loads of peppers - red, yellow, orange, purple, hungarian wax.  The peppers were trouble free this year.  We have dug many pounds of potatoes.  My goal was to produce 100 lbs. in a 50 ft row.  I was inconsistent with weighing them as I dug them so I think that I will be close.  I still have some fingerlings and a few late plants to dig.  The sweet potatoes look good and time will tell how abundant the harvest is.

I have started picking the second planting of green beans and am picking lima beans.  I have harvested large eggplants and they are still hanging full.  We are eating luscious watermelons. 

One the the best things that I planted this spring was a day neutral strawberry.  I planted 10 Seascape roots in the spring and mulched them with rotted wood chips.  I pulled the blossoms off until the end of June and did not allow any runners to grow.  This allows a strong crown to develop.  I did water them one time during the driest part of the summer.  Once they started producing fruit, I have been picking about a pint every few days.  The berries are sweet and a nice size.  It is a wonderful treat to have fresh strawberries.  I would recommend this for every home garden. 

More later.

Cucumber Beetles

This is the time of year that adult cucumber beetles will begin to appear in the garden. You will first notice the leaves of cucumber and squash or melon plants being eaten.  The mated beetles will lay eggs at the base of the plant.  About this time of the year, the eggs will hatch and the larvae will dig down into the soil and start feeding on the roots of the plants for about six weeks.  After they emerge as adults, the next problem they cause is spreading disease.


Spraying with chemicals or organic sprays is only a bandaid to the real problem.  If your soil has a healthy community of predatory nematodes, they will control the beetles.  Predatory nematodes feed on the larvae of beetles.   Last year I had cucumber beetles and squash beetles on my plants.  It was not an infestation but there was damage.  This year I have not seen any damage yet.  I did find 3 Colorado potato beetles on my potatoes.  Last year my potatoes were badly damaged but survived.  By adding our vermicompost to the soil, I am reintroducing the life that is necessary for a healthy soil community.


Cucumbers

Zucchini

Water, erosion and earthworms

It has been raining here consistently over the past week and the forecast for the upcoming week is predicting more rain.  Here are some interesting facts about water retention in soil, erosion and the role that earthworms play in the soil's ability to hold water.

Earthworms improve water absorption and prevent erosion.  The castings increase the water stability of the soil, because earthworms castings can take a direct hit by a raindrop and maintain their shape, which reduces erosion and runoff and helps the soil absorb water.  A research study conducted in Minnesota showed that earthworms added to cornfields increased water absoption rates 35 times over control fields without the earthworms within a six-week period.  In soil in a field with 100 night crawlers per square yard, 2 inches of water (a very heavy rainfall) could be absorbed by the soil in 12 minutes.  The same soil without earthworms took over twelve hours to absorb that much water (USDA National Soil Tilth Lab).  Another study found that if the top 3 feet of soil contained 25 percent macropores (earthworm burrows), then that soil should  be able to absorb at least a 9 inch rainfall without runoff.  Note that tilling the soil not only kills beneficial fungi but reduces the number of earthworms, which affects runoff.  One study showed that on a sloping field with no-till practices, there were 155 earthworm holes per square yard and an average runoff of 0.08 inches per year.  This compares to a tilled field with 6 holes per square yard and 4.9 inches of runoff per year (the average rainfall for this area is 39.4 inches).

To attract and promote earthworms, the soil needs to be mulched with organic mulches that help stabilize soil temperature and moisture.  The mulch provides food and shelter for earthworms.  Native mulch and compost are the most valuable for promoting earthworms.  The increased particle surface area of the small particle sizes in native mulches that have been ground also allows for the greater microbial activity that is preferred by worms.  Worms ingest mulches for the microbes that inhabit the surfaces.

Some scientists now believe that earthworms have the potential to eliminate soil erosion.  This could save society billions of dollars in erosion control, reduce pollution from dangerous synthetic chemicals, and improve the environment.

The secret to attracting earthworms to your soil in to restore the diversity of soil life that is needed for a balanced soil foodweb.  We are building that diversity into our worm bins continually.  Our goal is to provide the building blocks for a healthy soil community. 

Spring Garden

pansies

pansies at back door

bleeding heart

 I thought that I would post some pictures of some of my favorite spring plants.

clematis

viola wreath

onions

romaine lettuce

I am lagging behind in my garden. It has been a busy spring for us. Here are some pictures of what I have planted. Hopefully this weekend will be productive.  We are eating lettuce and asparagus and enjoying the taste of fresh produce again.

potatoes

carrots

swiss chard

red iceberg lettuce

broccoli

bibb lettuce

Why soil biology matters

We have been taught that an ideal soil PH is between 6.5 and 6.8.  Did you know that annuals require nitrogen in the form of NO 3 (nitrate) and that form of nitrogen is only produced naturally in soil in a PH of 7.0 or higher.  If the soil PH is lower than 7.0 the nitrogen available is in the form of ammonium that is used by perennials, shrubs and trees but not by annuals.  So we add commercials fertilizer and our annual plants grow bigger than when we didn't add any fertilizer.  We are then convinced that the only way to grow plants that look healthy is to add commercial fertilizer. 

How did plants grow and thrive before the advent of commercial fertilizers?  If we believe what the chemical companies tell us about the need for their products, we would have to assume that plants have never in the history of the earth been so beautiful and healthy as they are today.  We know that isn't true, so how does nature work?

The microorganisms that inhabit the soil know how to cycle nitrogen better than any man made product can ever hope to accomplish.  PH becomes a mute point when you allow the microorganisms to do their job.  They control the PH and that will change many times during the coarse of a plant's life.  The plant sends signals through the exudates at the roots what it needs.  If the soil biology is present in sufficient quantities, they react to that signal and produce the nutrients that the plant is asking for.  The plant is supplying the organisms with the sugars that they need for energy to supply the plants with their needs.  It is a relationship that has worked for thousands of years without any help from man. 

So what can we do to restore the life in the soil that we have done such a good job of destroying?  Start by understanding what the effects of each additive or spray we are told to use is to the life in the soil.  When you hold soil in your hand, know that there are millions and millions of life forms working for your benefit in that handful.  They want to do the work that they are designed to do.  I, for one, am happy to stop spending money on something that nature does so much better than man can ever do.

Healthy soil makes healthy plants that make healthy food.

Gardener's Day at Zwingli Church

I will be at the Gardener's Day at Zwingli UCC in Souderton on Saturday.  I will be demonstrating aerated compost tea,  how to make extracted tea and how to make humic acid.  We will have our vermicompost for sale and will show the process from start to finish.  Here is the link for the Gardener's Day.
http://www.zwingli.org/gday.php

Stop by and ask me what I learned this week at Rodale Institute!  We will have a bowl full of worms (gummy) waiting for you!

Peppers April 25

Here is the update on the peppers.

They both look healthy.  The difference is becoming more pronounced with each passing week.  The size of the leaves and the thickness of the stem is noticeably different.  I am not sure how I will continue the comparison in my garden.  I might replant them in a larger pot and grow them like a patio plant.  It would be interesting to see the difference in production.

The Power of One

I think that too often we forget the power of one person.  What can I as one person do to effect change on the world around me?  I am just one person in a sea of millions.  Do my choices and actions really matter?  These are questions that I ask myself.  Can changing the way I treat the soil make a difference in my community for the good of others?  Is the health of our soil really important?  I believe that it is important not only for me but for all those that will live long after I die.

How do you create a healthy soil environment so you will never have to add calcium, lime, fertilizer, etc. to your garden or lawn again?  Is that even possible?  I spent 3 days this weekend learning about soil biology from Dr. Elaine Ingham at Rodale Institute.  I am so excited to be able to tell you that it not only is possible, it is being done by all who are willing to step off of the chemical merry-go-round.

We can change being dependent on chemicals to grow our foods and our lawns.  The tools and knowledge are available to make that change.  We have the power to make a change.

“One person can make a difference and every person should try.”

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Do you know where your earthworms are?

The earthworm is one of nature's top "soil scientists." The earthworm is responsible for a lot of the things that help make our soil good enough to grow healthy plants and provide us food. Worms help to increase the amount of air and water that gets into the soil. They break down organic matter, like leaves and grass into things that plants can use. When they eat, they leave behind castings that are a very valuable type of fertilizer.

Earthworms are like free farm help. They help to "turn" the soil—bringing down organic matter from the top and mixing it with the soil below. Another interesting job that the worm has is that of making fertilizer. If there are 500,000 worms living in an acre of soil, they could make 50 tons of castings. That's like lining up 100,000 one pound coffee cans filled with castings. These same 500,000 worms burrowing into an acre of soil can create a drainage system equal to 2,000 feet of 6-inch pipe. Pretty amazing for just a little old worm, don't you think?

Having worms around in your garden is a real good sign that you have a healthy soil.  So how do you create an environment that supports all those earthworms?

Earthworms need plenty of organic matter to survive.  Keep your garden soil covered with organic mulch.  You can use grass clippings, shredded leaves or compost.  Mulch works like a blanket for the ground.  It keeps the soil cool and moist in the summer and warm in the winter.  These are ideal conditions for garden worms!

Of course, some of the best ways of increasing earthworm populations is by not harming them.  The overuse of chemical fertilizers or fungicides (including copper-based ones) can be detrimental to earthworm numbers.  Frequent deep tillage will not only expose earthworms to an unwelcoming dry environment and hungry birds, but it reduces their food source by increasing decomposition of ground cover.  Zero-till soils have been shown to have four times as many worms as cultivated soils.  One of the many great things about no-till gardening is that it protects and promotes earthworm populations.

Next time you head to your garden, take a shovelful of soil and count the worms.  If you measure 12"x12"x7"deep, the optimum number of worms should be approximately 60.  If you have 10 or less, your soil does not have a healthy community of the necessary microorganisms.  The number of worms is the best indication of your soil health.

 

Pepper test

I started two peppers plants for a comparison test.  One pepper is growing in a potting mix using 1 part vermicompost to 5 parts potting soil mix.  The second pepper is growing in pro mix.  I have only been using water but will start using Miracle Gro to feed the pepper growing in pro mix and vermicompost tea for the other plant.  The plant on the left is growing with vermicompost and the difference is already noticeable.

Planting calendar

Here is a link for a planting calendar that you can customize with your own last frost date.
http://www.yougrowgirl.com/2006/03/31/the-lazy-gardeners-seed-starting-chart/  Follow the instructions to download the spreadsheet.  I found it to be a helpful tool to remind me what I should be planting. 


This year everything seems to be moved up by almost a month.  Usually the goal is to plant peas in our area on St. Patrick's Day (March 17).  This year my peas are starting to poke through the ground,  the onions are about 4 inches high, lettuce is growing. 

My curiosity compelled me to unearth an onion bulb to examine the root system.  I put approx. 1-2 tsps. of vermicompost at the bottom of each bulb.  The roots look great!

Seed Tapes

This is just for fun.  I have been reading about making your own seed tapes.  Seed tapes are great for small seeds that are hard to sow evenly - carrots, lettuce, etc.  Last year I sowed my carrots in 3 rows and thinned them out as they grew.  I had a great harvest of carrots but it was time consuming to thin the carrots.  The same can be said for the lettuce.  I started most of my lettuce seeds early but the process was again time consuming.  The seeds were first sown in a flat tray and when they were large enough to handle, were transplanted into individual cells.
Will making seed tapes cut down on the time?  I am not sure but I am going to evaluate the process as the growing season unfolds.  Here is what I have done so far.

I started with undyed tissue paper.  My rows in my garden are approx. 36" wide.  The real planting space is probably more like 30" from row to row since I don't sow at the very edge of the bed.  I started by making a grid on the computer of 1" dots and printed that out.  I am planting my carrots this year on a 2" spacing.  The next step was to transfer the dots at the 2" spacing to the tracing paper.  I mixed 1 packet of unflavored gelatin with 1 cup of boiling water and allowed it to partially set.  I liked using gelatin because if it gets too hard you can softened it by reheating it.  I used a dropper and squeezed a small drop over each dot.  I only did one row at a time.  I put 2 seeds on each drop and then covered the row with another sheet of tissue paper.  I continued on until I finished the entire sheet.  I estimate that it took approximately 15-20 minutes to complete a sheet.  For the lettuce I put 1 seed at every inch because I plan to use the greens for an early salad as I thin them to 4 inch intervals.  The lettuce is a mesclun mix.  I discovered that by allowing the gelatin to become sticky, I could pick up a seed on the end of a tweezer and place it on the dot of gelatin and it quickly stuck to the gelatin.  It went quickly once I realized the gelatin needed to be slightly set.

Another alternative is grabbing a toilet paper roll and measuring out a piece the length of your rows.  Cut in half lengthwise, place seeds 1/3 in from the side and fold over.  I also read that you can use a washable white glue (Elmer's) instead of gelatin.  The criteria for both the paper and adhesive is that it should disintegrate quickly and be non-toxic.  Be creative and use what you have. 

I will already give a thumbs up to being able to sit on a chair in a nice warm house sowing tiny seeds at precise intervals!  The rest of the story will unfold this summer.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

It has been exceptionally warm this winter in Pennsylvania.  It is March 8 and the temperature today is 68F.  In a normal year, the goal would be to plant peas on St. Patrick's Day (March 17).  This year the peas, onions and spinach seeds are planted and the ground was beautiful.  My hyacinths are budded and some are trying to open.








I have been reading many stories about the success and failure of potato towers.  I found a website from the UK that has intrigued me.  http://henleypotatotower.co.uk/content/   I like the detailed explanation of how and why to grow the potatoes in a bin.  I am definately going to try it this year.

Restoring Life to the Soil

Restoring life to the soil.  That is our mission statement.  Feed the soil and the soil will feed the plants.  That is what we preach.  Our goal is to produce vermicompost that will make it simple for gardeners to create healthy soil.  I know that most home gardeners don't have time to research all the methods that are used to amend soil, so we wanted to produce one product that would include a good balance of soil life.  How are we doing?

According to our foodweb analysis, we achieved our goal! 

I received our results this week and was able to talk about our results with the lab's consultant.  He said that our numbers are great and our nematode number is especially good and includes predatory nematodes.  He said that our vermicompost will be excellent for gardeners and farmers.  He said that it will be especially good for making compost tea.  It felt good to receive confirmation for what we are doing.

Our mixture and method is slightly different from other vermicompost operations.  Our end product has achieved what we wanted  - a product that will incorporate a balance of life back to the soil.

You can view our report on our website -
http://www.landisalive.com/index_files/Page351.htm


If you are interested in reading more about soil life, here is a good link -
http://oregonfoodweb.com/soil-biology/in-depth.html


I am happy to report that Harleysville Ace Hardware is now stocking our vermicompost. 

Ready to Feed Your Soil

Restoring life to the soil is the first step on the journey to healthy food.  I am excited to demonstrate chemical-free, no-till gardening to others.  This isn't a new way to garden, quite the opposite.  This is returning to how people grew food before chemicals became the normal.

Watch this video on a garden that has been chemical-free, no-till for over 30 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wffoeYUFK7k&feature=related

I am confident that in 30 years this will be the new normal and people will wonder why we ever thought chemicals were necessary.

   We are packaging the vermicompost in two sizes for retail - 2 qts & 5 qts. We will also sell in larger quantities per requests.

2012

It is February and garden plans are swirling in my head.  We have had an extremely mild winter.  Last year I planted my first crops in the middle of March under a small tunnel.  This year I want to push it up to the beginning of March. 

The lettuce that I left under a tunnel has survived and will be ready to harvest after only a few weeks of warm weather.  I expect to cut lettuce by the end of March.

I have been reading Eliot Coleman's books regarding winter harvests.  He has developed amazing techniques for extending the garden season.  If he can grow in unheated tunnels in Maine, I should certainly be able to do it in Pennsylvania.

We will start to market our vermicompost on a more serious scale this year.  Decisions about packaging size are being made.  We hope to be in a local store by March or April.