05/5/14

Sheet mulching, apple guilds, and poop (literally)

So for the past couple days, I have been working on creating an apple guild around our apple trees. With the raw materials I have been collecting (and requesting from family, thanks Jeannie and Peg!), I have begun planting around the younger apple tree.

Firstly, here I am putting down sections of newspaper gathered over the winter. What I would do, because it was gusty wind, was put about 6 or 7 folded sections of newspaper around the edge of the circle and wet it down with the hose with about a 50%-75% overlap to suppress the grass, etc. Lather, rinse, repeat. Also, in the center there are already some tulips starting to come up, so I did not mulch those under.

Here is the circle of newspaper in relation to the house and the older apple tree (which I will sheet mulch around too).

Once the circle was the size I wanted, actually when I ran out of newspaper, Q and I went over to the neighbor’s horse farm and grabbed a couple truck loads of composted manure. Some of the oldest stuff is from many years ago when there were llamas over there.

Look at all that dark rich composted manure! Black gold!

After letting it rest a couple days (and a couple light rains to boot), I planted Bunching onions (scallions) and garlic chives around the central area near the base of the tree as well as in a ring all the way around. Interspersed I also added carrots and dill. And over all the top of that, I put some oak leaves for a thin layer of mulch. Basically I want to keep the seeds moist and slightly covered. With any luck, we’ll have a bunch of green shoots popping up in the next week or two.

I wetted down the leaves with the hose and hope to kick-start the germination process (and keep as many leaves in place as possible). I am really looking forward to how all this turns out! Additionally, when the threat of frost has subsided (after the full moon of May 14), I will add bush beans.

Still unsure where to put the Jerusalem artichokes, but I think I will extend the ring (and add an additional path), to include those tubers and some beans. I also need more composted manure for the hugelbeet so I can plant these ovation seedlings and establish the broccoli with lots of yummy food.

And finally, Aine has been helping me outside, so when I took a rest, she helped then too. Aww so cute!

Blessings!

P.S. I also add some crimson clover seed to the potato, strawberry and asparagus beds to help suppress weeds and I also add clover to some of the dirt piles I had removed the dirt from for the hugelbeet, just as a way to prepare them for some planting at another time. Feed the soil!

+======================+

Mostly Cloudy
63°F
17°C
Humidity: 41%
Wind Speed: NW 14 G 20 mph
Barometer: 29.74 in
Dewpoint: 38°F
Visibility: 10.00 mi
Last Update on 5 May 3:55 pm EDT

+======================+

05/1/14

True leaves, teamwork, and trust

One way or another, the Goddess will find a way to grow. Whether from the ground via plants or from the heart with gratitude, the call of Life continues. Remembering to trust is a practice unto itself. 🙂

As you can see from this seedling of the Ovation mix, it has begun to show its true leaves. A sure sign that it is maturing. One of many, including a tomato or two!

I have begun my work at Tasha’s Veggies this season. She and I worked together to transplant raspberries, plant little broccoli, and a variety of kale. I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn new techniques, connect with the fresh world around me, and strengthen my sacred intentions. Blessed Be!

P.S. Just a quickie before bed. 😉

P.P.S. Attention: Broccoli seedlings are in the hugelbeet (“hill-bed”). I repeat, broccoli seedlings are … oh you’ll see soon. 😉

+========================+

Overcast

39°F 4°C

Humidity: NA
Wind Speed: E 7 mph
Barometer: 30.24 in
Dewpoint: NA
Visibility: 5.00 mi
Wind Chill: 34°F (1°C)

Last Update on 30 Apr 11:55 pm EDT

New Moon April 29

+========================+

04/24/14

Sunchokes, potatoes, hugelkultur, and tin foil

FYI, I am going to drop the whole “Day X” part of the subject simply because I’d rather not clutter up the title, and so I won’t have to do any math. Especially since so many of my projects will be starting at different times that it would become confusing.

In any event, I visited my friend Wendy Brown (who wrote a couple of awesome books, Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs and Browsing Nature’s Aisles with her husband Eric Brown) on Monday. We spent a great afternoon talking about family, learning, and gardening. We went in the backyard and I met her chickens, ducks, and rabbit friends, along with all her green friends. She also generously gave us some Jerusalem artichokes, aka sunchokes – an indigenous Maine plant, from her 40 lbs harvest.

Here are some of the edible tubers (with a quarter for size):

You can cook them like potatoes (fried, sautéed, or mashed) and they have a nutty flavor. We’re gonna cook some up and plant the rest. They are quite prolific and will be a great addition to the apple guild.

Next, after chatting with Tasha of Tasha’s Veggies, we discussed doing a work share for this season for yummy veggies and more learning. While talking about my “leggy” greens, she suggested getting kelp to help my little seedlings get the nutrients they need. Serendipitously, in the sustainability group we are a part of, OTFS, Nancy shared some permaculture videos and one was about leggy seedlings. So the solution:

TIN FOIL! (plus kelp) Now, my plants will received multi-directional light, which will help with making the stalks stronger as well as match the tin foil hat I made to protect me from aliens trying to destroy my seedlings. 😉

This afternoon, I decided to start working outside (yes, a computer-guy going out to play in the dirt). First up, I put some of the donated Russet potatoes (the ones with the spiking shoots and squishy bodies) into the garden under some hay. Thanks, Aunt Peg!

I spent the rest of the afternoon making a hugelkultur bed. Q was taking care of one of the spruces in Aunt Peg’s yard and I used the trunk and some of the branches to make a 12-foot long bed:

Starcat took some pictures of the process and a snapshot pose of me taking a break:

I then moved 2 trailers of dirt (from nearby piles) and filled in about half of it. This is the in-process shot:

Next steps, re-wet the inside of the bed, add the rest of the dirt and then sheet mulching and planting!

Get kelp for the seedlings and the hugulbed too.

Plus sheet mulching around the apple trees so I can put in those Jerusalem Artichokes for the apple guilds. They spread quite a bit, so I will go sparingly at first. They are quite prolific.

If you have any questions or comments, please share below! And thanks!

P.S. Some of the spinach and cumin seedlings have made their appearance under the lights. Yay!

P.P.S. No hydrometer readings in the data I guess.

+=======================+

Fair
52°F
11°C
Humidity: NA
Wind Speed: NW 20 G 35 mph
Barometer: 29.74 in
Dewpoint: NA
Visibility: 10.00 mi
Wind Chill:46°F (8°C)
Last Update on 24 Apr 5:55 pm EDT

+========================+

04/18/14

Tomato seedlings yay! – Days 5-8

Alright folks, it has been a few busy days around here with nary an update. So here are a few pictures about what has been happening on the permaculture front.

First, it was quite the sunny and warm spring day the other day (oh the memories). Temps in the 60’s, warm enough for traipsing around the yard. Here are is a crocus with a bug friend inside. The first blossoms of Spring!

Next up, Aine was helping me and laughing at my explorations (or was she yawning?):

I planted another tray of seeds. Tray “B” has in Rows I-IV: Culinary Cumin. Though it is an annual, I will be keeping them in the herb garden as well as sharing any extras with my community. Let me know! 🙂

Rows V-XII: SPINACH! So excited to start a round of indoor spinach. In hindsight, I would have married the spinach and ovation mix in the same tray so they would have a similar growing cycle.

In this pic, the tray on the left is the new one, covered to keep moisture and warmth in, and the right, the new LED setup for the seedlings! Thanks to Q for his help putting the hanging structure together.

Now for some close-ups.

The ovation mix seedlings are getting greener under the lamp. Since they popped up after only a couple days, they had just a little afternoon light (about 5 hours) per day so they started to get a little spindly. But they are getting plenty of light for the past 2 days. Yay!

And last but not least, as of Day 7, tomato seedlings! Woot!

Thanks for being patient with my updates. I will have more to come for sure!

Next steps are to start laying down clover in the 18 older beds to keep weeds down til I am ready for planting and setting up the herb garden and hugulkultur! There is a HUGE fell pine tree that was torn down after a big wind storm in I think January. That needs to be cut into pieces and put into place (once the digging has begun).

+===================+

Mostly Cloudy
46°F
8°C
Humidity: 11%
Wind Speed: SE 5 mph
Barometer: 30.50 in
Dewpoint: -6°F (-21°C)
Visibility: 10.00 mi
Wind Chill: 44°F (7°C)
Last Update on 18 Apr 11:55 am EDT

+===================+

04/14/14

Seedlings and Lunar Eclipse – Day 4

So there are a bunch of little seedlings sprouting in the Ovation Mix so I brought them over into the front window for some afternoon sunshine in their little micro-climate under the plastic. I am happy to report that as the moist soil warms up, steam forms on the underside top of the clear screen. Very pretty speckles and happy warm plants.

I’ll be keeping a record of the day’s temps, pressure, winds, etc. for my own data records. I’ll be picking up some measuring devices to keep more localized data in my local ecological system. See note below.

We had such a gloriously wonderful day today. Bright sunshine, great company, and helpful hands. The high today hit near 80°F. The air just turned cooler and wetter weather will arrive soon. We’re hopeful for seeing the lunar eclipse early tomorrow morning around 02:00 EDT. We will be gifted with a beautiful sight regardless. Wish us luck!

+==========================+

For the Record:

The closest weather station near us says:

Temp: 64°F
Humidity: 63%
Wind Speed: S 16 G 25 mph
Barometer: 29.84 in (1010.3 mb)
Dewpoint: 50°F (10°C)
Visibility: 10.00 mi
Last Update on 14 Apr 2:51 pm EDT

+==========================+

04/13/14

Wake up little plants – Day 3

Well lo and behold, I woke up this morning and found some cute little seedlings popping their little heads out of the soil! So far I count over two dozen sprouts in the VII-XII rows – the ovations are making themselves known.

So my next step at this point is to get my grow light ready to go. The challenges are to find a place that will be warm enough (the basement has some room but is still in the 50’s or to find a place in the living area that we won’t mind a very bright magenta light shining 16-18 hours a day). The good news is – I have a timed power socket that allows me to control when the light is on and off so I can simulate the day cycle (in Panama!).

So here are an off and on picture of the Xen-Lux Six-Band LED Hydroponic Grow Light Panel that I bought last week:

WP_20140413_007

It is 12″ square and is fairly light in construction. Still pondering what to do with the hanging situation yet I will need to find that out sooner rather than later so that the seedlings will be able to grow. In the mean time it is raining here in Maine (and cloudy otherwise) so not much sunshine for these little buggers.

Next up, I will make a tray of spinach and garlic chives as well settle on the light situation. I may need another grow light for the other tray yet the recommended grow area is about 4 sq feet, which should be enough for now.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or other ideas, please let me know in the comments below!

04/12/14

Permaculture adventure – Seedlings Day 1

Hello everyone,

I am BlackLion. I hope to document my adventures in permaculture by picture and story here on this blog. I am new to the Principles of Permaculture, yet I will do my best to adhere to my ethical and ecological intentions in this process.

In any event, today I planted my first seedlings. With a seedling tray that holds 72 cups, I filled each one with a paper cup that I created using newspaper. I used a strip about 4″ wide by one newspaper page width. Then I used a shot glass to wrap them around (between ample shots of tequila, rum, jagermeister, kahlua, pine sol, and compost tea, yuck! – j/k the liquid would have spilled out if I really used any) to make little cups.

Turning over the shot glass onto the open end, I then folded the flap in and proceeded around 4 or 5 times to make sure it tucked under and stayed closed. I rolled the base on the table to make sure the folds I made were firmly in place, then tucked each one into the tray, making sure the bottom wasn’t open.

I looked down into all of the cups to make sure there weren’t any flaps that had sneaked open while I wasn’t looking.

Next I took some organic premium soil (Dr. Earth Mother Land Premium Soil – fyi the bag is kinda heavy 😉 ) and moistened it with water in a bucket, enough to make it like spongy moist earth right after a fresh spring rain shower – perfect for little seed friends. Here’s the tray and the bucket o’ soil:

I filled each cup with a couple scoops using a chip of wood that scooped about half-a-cup’s worth per scoop.

After filling each cup with moist soil, adding water to the tray to be absorbed from below by the cups, and then picking up T from lacrosse practice, I sat down and added a whole bunch of seeds to the cups. Here’s the breakdown:

Rows I – VI: Cosmonaut Volkov OG Tomatoes. I put 3 seeds into each cup and with 36 cups x 3 seeds = 108 little potential tomatoes for our upcoming Hugelkultur and some seedlings to give out to the community. These are gonna be August early plump juicy tomatoes, great for eating off the vine or making lots of salsa!

Rows VII – XII: Ovation Greens Mix. The package said to put ~60 seeds in a 2″-4″ wide strip about a foot long. I did some quick math and figured I could put 4 seeds in each 1.5″x 1.5″ cup in a strip of 6 cups or about 9″. Could have done 5 per cup (may have a couple times), but either way I’m looking forward to some greens in the next couple weeks. I wanted to get a jump on spring planting this year since Maine has such a short growing season.

Here is the finished seedling tray, with water underneath in the tray, and a clear plastic cover to keep in the moisture:

The ideal temperature for germination is about 75-85 degrees F, yet our house is on the cooler side hovering around 65 or so, depending on the night time lows. I’ll just be patient and let them grow at their own pace.

Up next, another tray, some garlic chives to plant and I will chat about my new LED grow light for these little seedlings (when they pop up and show their green little faces).

Until next time…Blessings!

BlackLion's Blog

Author Archives: BlackLion

Sheet mulching, apple guilds, and poop (literally)

True leaves, teamwork, and trust

Sunchokes, potatoes, hugelkultur, and tin foil

Tomato seedlings yay! – Days 5-8

Seedlings and Lunar Eclipse – Day 4

Wake up little plants – Day 3

Permaculture adventure – Seedlings Day 1