Our Garden 2018 (Part-2)

Ok, so the plot is tilled (with composted cow manure added), the fence is up and the “gate” is installed.

It’s Memorial Day Weekend. Time to plant!

We chose to go with zucchini squash, cucumbers, peppers, green beans (bush), tomatoes and corn. And just to make it interesting, we also decided to go 100% organic – no chemicals.

Another consideration was the orientation of the rows. We have all day sun and the plot is generally aligned East-West, so we decided to run the rows North-South. This eliminated the issue of larger plants (corn) casting shadows on smaller plants (everything else). We also put the corn on the western-most edge of the garden, ensuring the most shadow-free sun time.

Once we saw sprouts for a row, we mulched the plants. I tried two different methods for this: For the tomatoes, I used damp newspaper. For everything else, I used weed-free straw.

After putting newspaper or straw down, I sprayed it with the hose to set it. In hindsight, straw was the better choice because, once it dries, newspaper flies away unless you weigh it down with something. The one negative to using straw is that it creates a bed for insects.

To be honest, a combination of newspaper AND straw might even be the best. The straw holds the newspaper down, which creates a barrier between the plant and insects. Newspaper also creates a good environment for earthworms, retaining moisture. The combination of the two is a super weed-preventer. Live and learn.

Once the plants are mulched, weeding becomes a simpler chore, just hoeing the space between the rows. As the plants grow, they block sunlight from the weeds.

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You’ll notice that I hung paper plates and aluminum trays from strings. These flow actively in the wind, potentially scaring off any scavengers.

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Fertilization:

As I mentioned, I tilled-in some composted cow manure a week or so before planting.

For the tomatoes, we saved and dried all our used egg shells in the sun, crushed them into small pieces and put them around the stalks. These provide nutrients to the plants as they break down over the summer.

Each week, I sprayed Neptune’s Harvest Hydrolized Fish fertilizer on all plants (Tomato and Veg formula). This is made in Gloucester, MA from the by-products of fish processing (called “gurry”).

Next year, per their recommendation, I will use the Tomato & Veg first then switch to their “Rose & Flowering” product once the plants begin to bud and flower.

https://www.neptunesharvest.com/tv136-1.html

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Insecticides:

Keeping an organic garden makes insect control a little more complicated. There are a few options available, however:

Pyrethrin (also called Pyrethrum) – this is an extract from the Chrysanthemum plant that targets the nervous system of insects. This is bio-degradable, lingering in the soil for only a few days. I sprayed this on the entire garden weekly, and after each rain storm. The key here is to be proactive and consistent. I had a couple of Oriental and Japanese Beetle sightings here and there but virtually no insect damage all season.

It is important not to confuse Pyrethrin with Pyrethroids or Permethrin, which are synthetic, man-made chemical versions. Also, many Pyrethrins are mixed with Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO), which is a sassafras extract and can be toxic to fish in large quantities. PBO is no longer considered “certified organic” but is considered safe for home organic gardening.

Another insect solution I used was Diatomaceous Earth (DE), which is fine white powder made from fossilized “diatoms” (a type of algea). DE can be applied with a sprayer after mixing it with water into a slurry. It can wash off plants, so applications have to be timed with the weather. It is very effective against fleas, ants and other soft-bodied insects. DE particles are very sharp and puncture the bodies of insects, causing them to dry out and die.

So, here are some photos of the garden and the bounty we experienced. In a future post, I will document how we canned and preserved many of the vegetables.

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