Here is a photo of the orchard from today. I hope to take a photo from this spot every couple of days throughout the season. Things are warming up and I still have some work to do to prep the site. My landlord has offered up the fence posts in the foreground there to use as a boarder for the garden. I think I'm going to take him up on that offer just to keep the shape of the row and hopefully keep some of the grass and weeds out.
I have only tilled 40 feet of the allotted 75 foot row. I might attempt to get another 10 feet to help space out some of the plants better but there's not much rush to do this now. My meager Spring crops will have plenty of space as it currently stands. I plan on putting in some radishes, peas, and carrots in addition to the onions and lettuce I have started. The last frost for West Chester is April 17th So I have another week or so to get everything ready. Things will soon start moving quick!
I think first of all you need to get a straw hat and a pair of overalls. Looks like you have a lot of work to do, but I see it as enjoyable work. Must be nice to have all this land to play with. For tomatoes, I know that they love used coffee grounds and milk to feed off of. Someone's father I used to know took great pride in his garden and especially his tomatoes. He would go to the local Starbucks and collect all their used grounds that they would safe for him. His garden was also all organic. To keep the pests away he would order, from some on-line site, hundreds of lady bugs that keeps other bugs away (believe it or not, most stayed within the garden) as well plant marigolds throughout the garden which is known to keep rabbits and deer away.
ReplyDeleteHey Matty - Oh, I've got the overalls on along with a corn cob pipe and my straw hat- You just can't see me! I've been practicing my Ommish accent so when I'm forced to set up a road side stand selling all the extras I look and sounds authentic!
ReplyDeleteI've been saving my grounds and egg shells for the compost pile. Before they go in I'll get a couple of good scoops from that portion and dump it in. Never would of thought of milk though. Everything I read about soil additives says to stay away from dairy for some reason.