Back to Eden Gardening - Wood Chips & Plant Starts
by Kathy Osborne
As I write this the temperatures have begun to warm a little and I have been out in the orchard pruning. The limbs of the fruit trees and other shrubs would have gone on a burn pile in years past. This is how I was raised. In the spring when the yard was raked out and the trees pruned all of that debris ended up on a burn pile. Things have really changed.
I have 11 fruit trees and 3 filbert nut shrubs in need of pruning care this year. This is where I intend to collect a majority of the wood chips I will use in the garden. My chipper will need some maintenance and I will probably hire my nieces and nephews to collect all the pruned branches into the garden where the actual chipping will occur when all the kids are gone. I do not expect to have enough wood chips to cover the entire garden space so I may end up looking elsewhere for more.
When the snow has melted and the ground can tolerate the machine I will run over last years’ leaves with the lawnmower and catch them in bins. The plan is to get newspaper laid down first. The chopped leaves will be the second layer to go down in the beds and can really happen as soon as I can get into the space. After the leaves are in place I will spread peat moss followed by compost.
In the mean time I have begun some plants in the greenhouse. I have a variety of herbs started under lights and they are doing well. Flowers like lilies, dahlias, and peony are potted and in the chick brooder for the next few weeks. I am not using it for chicks this year. This cool location will help keep the bulbs from growing too fast. They were already sprouted when I bought them a few days ago.
As the ground continues to warm, and I am able to add the lasagna elements, I hope to continue the seed starting process. In April I will begin the tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, and Crackerjack Marigolds. The Crackerjacks are a nice addition to the tomato beds and help with pests. In early May the squash, pumpkin, corn starts, the melons and cucumbers will get planted in the greenhouse and should be ready to go in the garden mid-June after all danger of frost has passed. There is a lot of work to be done and I am pretty anxious to get out there.
I am excited to see the various vegetable beds when they are planed and dressed with the chips. If all goes well I should use less water and have far less weeds than before.
I hope by the next blog I will have pictures of the garden bed area to show you.