Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Tommy Tolson <healinghawk@earthlink.net>]

And sheet mulch instead of tilling.  Don't do anything to the cover crop 
save maybe walk over the cardboard sheet layer you apply first.  Plant 
in the top mulch layer, after a light application of compost mixed with 
garden soil.  Urine is a great idea, if you can get to it.  Compost it 
if you feel better about it that way.  Google "sheet mulch" for great 
resources.  It's a miracle cure for depleted soils.  Good luck.  Now's a 
great time to do it, so the sun does most of the work for you.

BTW - Using Permaculture principles and practices leaves us with time to 
develop our experience into cogent thought by expressing ourselves.  
Evolution is 99% cognitive development, IMHO.

Smiles.
Tommy

On 8/13/10 11:09 PM, Tradingpost wrote:
> Barbara, I can't answer your questions about the brassicas but here's my list 
> of cover crop resources. Someone else will have to answer what cover crops 
> would be New England specific. As for the phosphate issue, I'm using bought 
> bone meal - small quantities - which isn't mined. We can talk techniques all 
> you want, anytime. But I try not to go on and on about my own methods which 
> are specific to small plot intensive market production in a short season arid 
> climate. Obviously dozens of different adaptions are needed in other regions 
> and situations, and others are far better able to discuss those.
>
> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
> ------------------------------------------
>
> Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures
> http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html
>
> Choosing the best cover crops for your organic no-till vegetable system
> A detailed guide to using 29 species
>
> UC SAREP Cover Crop Resource Page
> http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/ccrop/
>
> Selecting the Best Cover Crop for Your Farm
> http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/nwl/2005/2005-4-leoletter/cover_crop.pdf
>
> Winter Cover Crops
> http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages/publications/ay247.htm
>
> Annual Winter Cover Crops Legumes for Nitrogen Fixing Growing ...
> http://www.kuow.org/garden/031001.txt
>
> cover Crop Fundamentals, AGF-142-99
> http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0142.html
>
> OPERATING A PROFITABLE SMALL FARM
> http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/frederick/pubs/Opfarm18.pdf
>
> Hairy vetch is a cover crop that is an attractive option
> http://www.umassvegetable.org/soil_crop_pest_mgt/soil_nutrient_mgt/hairy_vet
> ch_cover_crop.html
>
> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>
> On 8/13/2010 at 7:55 PM Barbara Money wrote:
>
>    
> > Hi all,
> >
> > While the latest threads on sustainability and whether or not we are all
> > going to die of raised temperatures is fascinating and thought provoking
> > (seriously, I'm learning a lot), could we have some discussion now and
> > again on actual gardening techniques? I'm particularly thinking about
> > putting in a winter cover crop, as opposed to just covering my garden
> > plots with leaves, straw, manure, etc. Now Ken's CD has a list of some
> > cover crops for various applications --to increase nitrogen or to uptake
> > phosphorus, for example-- but I'm wondering what would be the best
> > application for southern New England. I'm a little short on phosphorus;
> > I can get all the manure (N) I want from a couple of local farms, and I
> > have tons of wood ash (K). I look on the list and I see Buckwheat will
> > uptake phosphorus, but it's grown as a spring/summer crop. I don't have
> > so much area for gardening that I can tie up a good chunk for buckwheat
> > (though I could, and would, harvest the seeds). Also Red Clover will
> > accumulate P, but again, as it won't die down in the winter, I'd have to
> > figure out a way to remove it without tilling so I can plant where it
> > grew. Tiny seeds like the Brassicas won't grow in slits cut in the
> > clover, and I've had poor success with seedlings. Mowing closely would
> > work I suppose if it kills the root, but I want to get away from using
> > fossil-fuel power. I've considered planting the buckwheat after harvest
> > so it gets up a bit before frost, but will it have time to grow enough
> > to be worthwhile? I think the list was created with the idea the crops
> > would be tilled under.
> >
> > I wonder if the low Phosphorus, or high Nitrogen, was the cause of my
> > onions being really small, and my turnips being non-existent. Plenty of
> > greens, just no turnip roots. Brassicas in general, (collards, brussels
> > sprouts, broccoli) just not doing well. On the other hand, I'm having a
> > bumper crop of Butternut squash!
> >
> > What has worked well for you in New England? Am I better off just using
> > the composted material top dressed as I have been? What about
> > phosphorus? The manures I have access to are horse and llama, which have
> > some phosphate but not a lot. Maybe sheep in a year or so. I am unlikely
> > to be adding urine as was discussed not long ago. I can get phosphate
> > rock, but it's mined so will be a finite, and unsustainable, supply.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Barbara M, Foster, RI
> >
> > --
> > "Animals Are A Gift"
> >
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> >      
>
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