ideas for preparing beds for next season

[nnjjohn]

All my beds are cleaned and thinking ahead.. Any suggestions appreciated tia, John

[kath]

I like to keep the worms happy so I added a layer of shredded leaves, rough compost, dried grass clippings from the paths under the top few inches of soil. Then I add added some of Steve Solomon's complete organic fertilizer and some sifted compost, worked it in and covered with finely shredded leaves. Watered a bit to settle the leaves in place. In the early spring all I need to do is move the leaves aside and plant the peas, etc. I may use a broad fork before planting the later crops, if needed.

kath

[COMPOSTER]

Originally Posted by kath

I like to keep the worms happy so I added a layer of shredded leaves, rough compost, dried grass clippings from the paths under the top few inches of soil. Then I add added some of Steve Solomon's complete organic fertilizer and some sifted compost, worked it in and covered with finely shredded leaves. Watered a bit to settle the leaves in place. In the early spring all I need to do is move the leaves aside and plant the peas, etc. I may use a broad fork before planting the later crops, if needed.

kath

I use to do very similar to Kath except I would plant winter rye as a cover crop. This year I'm doing almost exactly like Kath except I purchase a seed meal fertilizer similar to the Steve Soloman complete fertilizer without the lime components and then I add dolomite lime and Basalt dust.

Glenn

[Worth1]

I cant do anything to mine.
Right now I have onions, basil, sage and yes even tomato plants loaded with tomatoes in them.

Worth

[amideutch]

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...ight=lowenfels

Here's a link that might interest. Ami

[nnjjohn]

Originally Posted by amideutch

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...ight=lowenfels

Here's a link that might interest. Ami

good thread, but I still have a situation in two my beds lab tested 7.5 high ph spring 2013 .. so i just bought a cheap multi meter soil probe to test soil ph in hopes of adding anything before next growing season.. I will avoid tilling too this time as suggested.

[amideutch]

I cant do anything to mine.
Right now I have onions, basil, sage and yes even tomato plants loaded with tomatoes in them.

[pdxwindjammer]

I just got all my tomato and pepper plants pulled yesterday in my Community Garden Plots. I am going to sprinkle liberally with Gaia Green Glacial Rock Dust, which I am using for the first time. Then I will cover the bed with leaves to mulch to keep the weeds down and the worms happy. That will be the end of my prepping!

[dipchip2000]

I am going to cover the beds with cardboard because the worms ate all the cardboard under my grass clippings pile. Not a shred of cardboard left and the nicest soil left under the grassclipping pile. It may be wrong but if the worms will work my beds the same way,then I will be very happy. we will see?

ron

[nnjjohn]

thanks foe the tips.. I too am going yo use my mulch mower and dump my mower bag over my beds..i also will cover them with the black plastic mulch i never used this season.. (from the dollar store a buck a piece 4x8 feet) i have a half dozen , more than enough to cover the leaves to accelerate composting.. I want to test my soil with this capsule kit again beforehand.. so I get an idea about my soil ph to compare in the spring too. thanks for the replies! oh forgot to mention,,going to use a recommended dosage of soil acidifier i bought this early spring to lower soil ph too ( it lab tested high 7.4 ) i will sprinkle the rest pn two the beds that don't favor tomato plants

[Tania]

I add lots of coffee grinds to all empty beds in the fall. Then I plant oats and mustard (Sept) or winter rye (Oct-Nov). This keeps the worms very happy, and my garden soil fluffy and rich.

If we had leaves, I'd add them too - but we are surrounded by cedar and hemlocks and have very few alders around.

Semi-composted cardboard on the garden paths gets raked into the beds too.

Tatiana

[COMPOSTER]

Interesting comment on the winter rye. I cut mine close to the ground 2 or 3 times and it continues to grow. I will have to say that it is not fully developed when I cut it. Maybe 10-12 inches high. Not sure that it matters but mine grows very aggressive in the Spring after being cut.

Glenn

[ScottinAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Tania

I add lots of coffee grinds to all empty beds in the fall. Then I plant oats and mustard (Sept) or winter rye (Oct-Nov). This keeps the worms very happy, and my garden soil fluffy and rich.

If we had leaves, I'd add them too - but we are surrounded by cedar and hemlocks and have very few alders around.

Semi-composted cardboard on the garden paths gets raked into the beds too.

Tatiana

Coffee grounds from a local coffee shop. I add about 1500 pounds of coffee grounds (with filters) every fall to 5 large beds. Worms love the filters.

[COMPOSTER]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Coffee grounds from a local coffee shop. I add about 1500 pounds of coffee grounds (with filters) every fall to 5 large beds. Worms love the filters.

Scott / Tania, are you adding the coffee grinds straight to the soil or are you composting them first. I pick up 200-300lbs a year and add them to compost projects but I have never added them directly to my soil. There is a guy where I work who always brings in some nice veggies to share with folks. A few years ago I asked him what he uses to get such nice produce. He said "nothing really, I just use coffee grinds." I had to laugh at such beautiful simplicity!

Glenn

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by COMPOSTER

Scott / Tania, are you adding the coffee grinds straight to the soil or are you composting them first?

Glenn

I compost mine generally. I have used them directly in the soil before, but generally not. Even when I did use them directly in the soil, I gave them a full month to decompose before planting.