Leaf Grow

Today was a crisp and cool October day and we were totally motivated to work in the garden.  The soil is much looser after being rototilled but looks, at least to us, as though it could use some compost.  We went to our favorite local garden supply store to look for a compost system that would enable us to turn our coffee grounds and egg shells into natural bug repelling fertilizer.   At the store, a compost bin was priced at about $100 for a basic compost bin.  The store was also sold out of all its compost related systems.  They did sell "Leaf Grow" for about $5 a bag, and this being a local product consisting of organic leaf matter, we decided to by several bags to mix in with our soil.  After comparing the various composting solutions, we will likely either construct our own compost pile/box/system or just make a pile and surround it with chicken wire.  

We also discovered why everyone else is planting garlic.  Not only is it good for adding flavor to foods and oils, but it also repels animals apparently as an added benefit.  Having also read that marigolds serve to repel animals and wanting to have fresh flowers in addition to herbs and vegetables, we will try planting a combination of flowers and garlic around the boarder of our garden plot.  In addition, planting bulbs is also a good thing to do this time of year, so we may throw some of those in a section of the garden as well.  

Working That Soil

Three passes with a rototiller can make all the difference in the soil. And what a difference a day or two makes in the garden!

And now, decisions...decisions.  Do we plant winter rye or do we perhaps use a leaf mulch on the soil (not wood - just chopped leaves) and perhaps leave a small section unaltered for growing winter lettuce? Hmm...we'll have to decide soon.

In the meantime, the mid-October weather has been quite mild with daytime  highs of 75°F and evening lows of 50°F.  It's a picturesque fall season here in Northern Virginia, with a perfect full harvest moon and the leaves changing color and falling gently and slowly towards the bare limbs of winter. Halloween is just around the corner and we are already sampling pumpkin pie and apple cider...Life is good!

Great Job With That!

In just a few hours we were able to make strong progress cleaning up the plot, collecting eight to ten 30 gallon bags of 'yard waste'--in landfill speak.

We've met five neighboring gardeners to-date, and hope to meet all of the plot owners before the end of our first year.  The few that we met commented on our progress, saying "great job!" and I have to admit it felt good to be encouraged after a tough first day. Now that we can see the ground and the layout, we've diagramed the sunnier spots of the garden, and listed out the plan for the crops that will be included.  Our plot runs north to south and gets great morning sun and partial shade in the afternoon (at least this time of year which is early October).  Our next steps will be to test the soil and rototill, preparing the plot for winter gardening and for resting till April when we plan to plant the majority of our crop.

After two trips to the transfer station with eight of our bags, we were ready to call it a day.  Its times like these I wish we had a small (or large) truck instead of a four-door, but that's a purchase for another day.

Overgrown!

The plot was very overgrown when we started working on it...

After 3 years on the wait list we wondered whether anyone had been in fact growing crops in this section, but regardless, the plot was now allll ours.

We started off reading books about kitchen gardens, compost, organic gardening, etc. We've even read The Old Farmer's Almanac for fun! 

I would argue that native New Englanders have a strong sense of independence and thrift, which lends itself nicely to gardening.  And who doesn't love communing with the earth and cultivating useable foods, flowers, and herbs??!  Now, just to figure out how and what to plant, and where...and do we get our garden rototilled prior to adding compost or mulch, or is that done at the same time?  We will soon know...after a quick phone call to my family.

Getting Going in Zone 7a

We're getting our garden plot going in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a and will check the soil pH soon.