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!

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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

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