April showers ...
The garden is nearly ready to plant. The rain is a mixed blessing. While I can’t curse it, it certainly isn’t helping me get the boxes finished or any of the new trees planted. We initially planned to try the square foot gardening this year. Sally did some reading and we made a plan. The idea behind the SFG concept is that instead of spending time creating good soil you start with great soil. Sally and I sort of butted heads over the merit of the system (My arguments were clearly based on my years of gardening expertise).In the end we came to a compromise.
Here is the SFG for dummies. The idea is to build boxes on top of the existing soil. The book said the boxes don’t need to be any higher than six inches. The book’s theory is that the soil is so good that six inches by one square foot is enough. There was no way I was going any shorter than twelve inches. I figured roots need room to stretch and I'd dig down to the soil below.
Our original plan called for six or seven boxes totaling about 300 square feet. I know redwood is more rot resistant but is also close to the price of gold. I built the boxes out of construction grade Douglas Fir. Even if it rots in two years, I can replace it and probably still be up money.
The dirt is supposed to be an even split of compost, peat moss and vermiculite. Here is where
the problem started. The compost was cheap -- $20 a yard. The peat moss and vermiculite looked to cost about $1500.00. So like any loving couple, we discussed our conundrum and came to a compromise. We’d do a couple of boxes in the SFG plan and the rest the way we’ve done the past two years; by amending the existing soil with compost and whatever else is lacking based on some soil testing. If the SFG plan turns out to be as great as it sounds, then we can gradually convert a few boxes each year in order to spread out the cost.
As a side note here, don’t let our cost of soil for the SFG scare you away … this is only because of the shear magnitude of our endeavor. Typically, according to the SFG plan, you need two 4x4 boxes (32 sq. ft.) per adult in a family. By planting things close together you use much less space, resulting in a much smaller amount of soil needed. Based on the calculations, our 300 sq ft should be enough to feed nine adults. But since our goal is to be self sustaining all year, any surplus will be frozen, canned, dehydrated or traded. For the “typical” family just starting a garden, SFG is supposedly the way to go. It takes up less space and really requires less work and know-how. If you are interested, check out Mel Bartholomew’s website http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ .
As for our garden expansion project, it is nearly complete. After filling the boxes with the compost, soil testing and amending, putting SFG grids in place, adding a rain barrel to the gutter downspout nearby, and a nice decomposed granite walkway for the landlords (we are forever grateful to Rich and Betty for the use of their yard!), we will be ready to plant. Experienced gardeners have told us that once the soil is warm enough to sit on, bare bottomed and not feel cold, you are good to go. I’m not sure who will be nominated to put this to the test but photos will be posted. Typically, planting falls right around tax day in our area. We’ll shoot for that.
Until harvest, we continue to support our local producers at the Tuesday Roseville Farmers Market at the Fountains on Galleria Boulevard and Saturday market out at Sunrise Mall. The latest arrivals include asparagus. Get it now locally while you can. It has a short season. Strawberries have made an appearance as well - this is one fruit that is extremely important to buy organic due to the absorbent nature of the fruit, so be sure to ask if they spray - just because it is at a farmer’s market does not mean it wasn’t conventionally grown. Always be sure to ask, our experience has been that most people are used to the question and happy to discuss their growing methods.
As for meat, we’ve been buying our beef and pork from Bob from Coffee Pot Ranch http://www.coffeepotranch.com/ at the Tuesday market. There is also local lamb and goat available from Flying Mule Farm http://www.flyingmulefarm.com/ . If you get a chance check out that site … they are using mule power for their farming - very cool and such a nice family. We have yet to find a Placer County Chicken producer, although I hear that Dan at Flying Mule Farm will have some soon - I think following similar methods to those of Joel Stalatin at Polyface farms, as described by Michael Pollan in Omnivore’s Dilemma. There is a chicken producer in Grass Valley called Fowler Farms, and until some is available in our area, we will be contacting the Fowler Family. I believe the time is now - so if you are interested they can be reached at 530-477-6878.
Here is the SFG for dummies. The idea is to build boxes on top of the existing soil. The book said the boxes don’t need to be any higher than six inches. The book’s theory is that the soil is so good that six inches by one square foot is enough. There was no way I was going any shorter than twelve inches. I figured roots need room to stretch and I'd dig down to the soil below.
Our original plan called for six or seven boxes totaling about 300 square feet. I know redwood is more rot resistant but is also close to the price of gold. I built the boxes out of construction grade Douglas Fir. Even if it rots in two years, I can replace it and probably still be up money.
The dirt is supposed to be an even split of compost, peat moss and vermiculite. Here is where
the problem started. The compost was cheap -- $20 a yard. The peat moss and vermiculite looked to cost about $1500.00. So like any loving couple, we discussed our conundrum and came to a compromise. We’d do a couple of boxes in the SFG plan and the rest the way we’ve done the past two years; by amending the existing soil with compost and whatever else is lacking based on some soil testing. If the SFG plan turns out to be as great as it sounds, then we can gradually convert a few boxes each year in order to spread out the cost.As a side note here, don’t let our cost of soil for the SFG scare you away … this is only because of the shear magnitude of our endeavor. Typically, according to the SFG plan, you need two 4x4 boxes (32 sq. ft.) per adult in a family. By planting things close together you use much less space, resulting in a much smaller amount of soil needed. Based on the calculations, our 300 sq ft should be enough to feed nine adults. But since our goal is to be self sustaining all year, any surplus will be frozen, canned, dehydrated or traded. For the “typical” family just starting a garden, SFG is supposedly the way to go. It takes up less space and really requires less work and know-how. If you are interested, check out Mel Bartholomew’s website http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ .
As for our garden expansion project, it is nearly complete. After filling the boxes with the compost, soil testing and amending, putting SFG grids in place, adding a rain barrel to the gutter downspout nearby, and a nice decomposed granite walkway for the landlords (we are forever grateful to Rich and Betty for the use of their yard!), we will be ready to plant. Experienced gardeners have told us that once the soil is warm enough to sit on, bare bottomed and not feel cold, you are good to go. I’m not sure who will be nominated to put this to the test but photos will be posted. Typically, planting falls right around tax day in our area. We’ll shoot for that.Until harvest, we continue to support our local producers at the Tuesday Roseville Farmers Market at the Fountains on Galleria Boulevard and Saturday market out at Sunrise Mall. The latest arrivals include asparagus. Get it now locally while you can. It has a short season. Strawberries have made an appearance as well - this is one fruit that is extremely important to buy organic due to the absorbent nature of the fruit, so be sure to ask if they spray - just because it is at a farmer’s market does not mean it wasn’t conventionally grown. Always be sure to ask, our experience has been that most people are used to the question and happy to discuss their growing methods.
As for meat, we’ve been buying our beef and pork from Bob from Coffee Pot Ranch http://www.coffeepotranch.com/ at the Tuesday market. There is also local lamb and goat available from Flying Mule Farm http://www.flyingmulefarm.com/ . If you get a chance check out that site … they are using mule power for their farming - very cool and such a nice family. We have yet to find a Placer County Chicken producer, although I hear that Dan at Flying Mule Farm will have some soon - I think following similar methods to those of Joel Stalatin at Polyface farms, as described by Michael Pollan in Omnivore’s Dilemma. There is a chicken producer in Grass Valley called Fowler Farms, and until some is available in our area, we will be contacting the Fowler Family. I believe the time is now - so if you are interested they can be reached at 530-477-6878.
Check this out ... it is short and relevant to recent events in the food industry.
posted by Randolph Four at 10:01 PM
2 Comments:
I don't remember how much it has cost us (perhaps amnesia in this area is good), but we get our vermiculite and peat moss at Home depot. I remember somewhere reading that for the best success in your vegetable garden, expect to spend 90% of your gardening dollar on your soil.
we have 6 boxes and 6 wine barrels (the barrels hold our growing potatoes in the back yard and herbs in the front)... about half of them were built with nice new wood, but when we decided to build more we decided to use some scrap wood from our old redwood fence. Our main problem has been moles and gophers... tacking hardware cloth to the bottom of the newer boxes solved that problem. Oh and we grow smallish melons and kubocha squash vertically, but have never needed to make nets for them.
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