keeping it simple

[mensplace]

This year I am convinced that a large part of my success has come from starting my tomatoes in a totally new space. Too, I have reflected upon other kinds of fruit growing where the goal was not to produce either massive fruit or fast fruit. my goal has been flavor, and that sometimes come with giving nature a chance. My plants were put out very late. In the past I had done everything possible to get them in the ground early to assure a June 1 tasting. Not this year. Too, I didn't even break the hardpan clay, but planted deeply into the oak mulch that provided a few feet of rotted compost on top of the clay..for free. With the mulch on top of the soil the drainage and air movement was great.

I saved a fortune on not using soil amendments and lots of digging or tilling. I used primarily two fertilizers pure phosphate and potassium weeks after planting. When I set out the plants I had used one small bag of natural, balanced fertilizer with biologicals . On the top I used several feet of straw. As the plants were first put in I used one little spray bottle for a light, localized pyrethrin and disease preventative... nothing since. When I dug down to the base of the mulch it was teaming with life. Initially, I watered each plant, but not since. Our weather has varied, some stretches with 106 degree real feel and others with three days of major storms. My plants are down on the ground, not staked. The plants are intensely green and I have never had so much fruit set or such healthy plants.

[nancyruhl]

That is such great news. Thanks for sharing that great bit of gardening know how. I am trying the minimalist approach in my gardens, though I have been feeding regularly. Cardboard covered with straw sure has cut down on weeding and watering. Where that I'd not possible, mowing between rows is working well.

[SteveP]

Sounds like you have found the happy combination. My tomatoes seem to be stuggling this year and looks like it will be the worst year out of the last 5. I am starting to rethink my process for next year, but am still hoping this year is still young and things will improve. I hope you have found the magic that works for many more seasons.

[imp]

You and Ruth Stout, who I like to keep in my thoughts of keeping it simple or simpler. I am mulching heavily with wood chips this year and so far, so good. Also planted out late.

[mensplace]

I remember watching The Victory Garden with Jim Crockett and his successor. Later came The Square Foot Gardener. Both stressed creating a healthy environment for the plants. Later I went to seminars in Illinois and Signal Mountain, TN. where I learned even more. French Intensive approaches taught me how important the balance of air, water, and soil are. Then I went to classes on aerobic composting at LSU and in Fayetteville, Ark.. I learned more about life in the soil and the food web through lots of study. Bottom line, here I spent lots of money and effort trying to better the depleted clay here, but this year was doing good to even get to the new garden. I couldn't tackle the prospect of tilling, so I reverted back to the idea of gardening on top of the bad soil. The tree cutters were more than happy to dump their huge loads here...for free. That was at least three years ago. The rest just came out of my doing what I could.

[bower]

mensplace, so awesome to hear what you've done and fine results!
Many times in a harsh environment I find myself working or thinking in the way of struggling with mother nature or somehow trying to prop her up... and many times the lesson comes as a surprise to me, when I gave up and let her have her way, things turned out for the best.

[jillian]

That's fantastic! I am also employing the minimalist approach on a new garden bed which I will be using mainly for zucchini and herbs. So glad to hear it's working well for you.

[mensplace]

The funny thing is that when I first put the wood chips into my front yard it wasn't part of any garden planning. I had sat and watched as many huge oaks in other people's yards were reduced to logs and the small chips. It occurred to me then that I could ask for them to build as long and immovable breakwater across my front yard to stop the water from rains eroding the soil. It worked!

I imagine that folks in lots of places could get all the chips they want for free. Some places will even give you truck-loads of leaves in the fall.

Here, the clay soil has been farmed for cotton for hundreds of years. To make matters worse, they first used manure year after year and then ammonium nitrate. That which is left is rock-hard hardpan. Most of the topsoil is now down in the Gulf.

[Gardeneer]

That is very good.
In effect you created raised beds on top of you native soil. You can do that in more than one way.
You don't have to have frame or retaining walls .
All plants need : (1) Nutrients (2) Moisture as a mean to transport the nutrients ( 3) Something to anchor the roots to (4) Air
So the is a MEDIUM. It can be made of many things. We use soil because it is in abundance , almost free.

[imp]

I'm always cheerfully surprised when the results come in so much better than when I try to fight Mother Nature and work with her instead. The mulch kept moisture in at the right amount for more than 10 days through a heat wave here; here in Texas, that is just great. The tomatoes seem happier so we shall see how it goes.

I did not put weed barrier down, so I do have to get after the occassional grass opping through, but it makes it all available more easily to the worms and all.

[mensplace]

I love this new system and the location. I can easily use my walker to reach it. It is so clean. So far, totally disease free. The ph and fertility are what I made it. Drains great for rains, but I purposely hold back other water now to get the roots to seek moisture deep in the lower strata of compost. Now, I need to add just a few more bales of straw under the fruiting branches and a shade cover later. It isn't a showpiece, but virtually no cost, effort, or problems.