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- From: Roots Farm & Karen Sutherland <rootsfarm AT cwdom.dm>
- To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] composting hay
- Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:00:14 -0400
Why not just sheet compost it, Ruth Stout style, basically laying 4-6 inch "books" of it across your planting surface. I turned 2-3" of horrible clay over broken shale into about 2' worth of gorgeous loam on my large western MA zone 5 garden. I also added oak leaves every Fall, basalt rock dust once and limed once or twice and manure every few years. Have to rake hay off to let soil warm up in spring but soil underneath is soft and teeming with life. After planting and soil is warm, just lay it back between the lines or plants. Most weeds can't make it through this barrier; those that do are usually easy to pull and if hay is cut before grass is seedy, less and less weed seed is left in soil. Voles can be a problem with this method and, in wetter climes, slugs/snails may need to be controlled. In tropical climes, a thick sheet compost/mulch gives shelter to biting ants and centipedes as well as to more welcome critters. Best wishes, Karen Roots Farm Organic Produce Fruits, Roots, Vegetables & Herbs 767-449-3038 On Jul 27, 2009, at 3:21 PM, Richard Robinson wrote:
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[Market-farming] composting hay,
Richard Robinson, 07/27/2009
- Re: [Market-farming] composting hay, Roots Farm & Karen Sutherland, 07/27/2009
- Re: [Market-farming] composting hay, Mark Abner, 07/27/2009
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
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Re: [Market-farming] composting hay,
clearviewfarm, 07/27/2009
- Re: [Market-farming] composting hay, Mark Abner, 07/27/2009
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Re: [Market-farming] composting hay,
clearviewfarm, 07/28/2009
- Re: [Market-farming] composting hay, MAsteveINE, 07/28/2009
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