Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

Thanks for the, uh, encouragement, old fella ... seriously, comfrey is a
really good idea. But I'll have to get a few starts and multiply from there
since every bit of root will grow a new plant. Best thing, it's perennial.
What a compost starter. I've heard nettle brings up a lot of minerals.
Isn't it a bit tricky to handle?


paul tradingpost@lobo.net

Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes. 
--Henry David Thoreau 
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 7/31/2006 at 3:23 PM Harvey Ussery wrote:

>> We were scouting around the other day looking for sources of soil
>> amendments when it dawned on me (or was it the sunrise), we have half an
>> acre of green weeds growing on our new place. If I cut all that and
>compost
>> it before it goes to seed, we'll have more than enough to loosen the
clay
>> and cover the beds.
>> And all the compost and mulch are coming from
>> this property, no bought inputs.  
>
>Paul, is that a half acre that you can set aside permanently as 
>"fertility patch"? If so, have you considered growing comfrey to feed 
>your vegetable beds? Comfrey can be tremendously productive, high in 
>nitrogen and minerals. Don't know how it would do in New Mex, but I'm 
>planting it in every unused corner and along many edges, in the orchard, 
>etc.--extremely useful plant. (Have also established smaller fertility 
>patches of stinging nettle.)
>
>> I'm 62 and if I can do it, not being an
>> expert or as widely experienced as some on this list, then almost
anybody
>> can. 
>> 
>> 
>> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>
>Well, dang, boy--I was 62 two weeks ago! Another greenhorn rank beginner 
>at the Great Adventure--how 'bout that?!
>
>Good luck with the new place. Taking a year out just to build up the 
>soil is probably frustrating but will surely pay off.
>
>~Harvey
>
>-- 
>Harvey in northern Va
>www.themodernhomestead.us
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