Monday, January 7, 2013

January 2013 - Closed


Here is a photo of the field ... all the vegetables harvested, plant debris flail mowed, soil subsoiled and seeded to winter rye cover crop.  Now it's frozen and partially covered with snow.  The cover crop was seeded later than ever - October 18 - but had sufficient germination and fair top growth.

I look at this photo and see the weed seed bank.  Research has estimated up to 3,000 viable weed seeds exist in the top six inches of each square foot of soil.  Our weed management practices have reduced but not eliminated that seed bank.  We shall meet again ...

While planning the crops for this upcoming season, I have decided to try grafting some tomato plants.  The concept is simple, start two tomato plants; one for good roots and one for good fruits.  A few weeks after planting, cut the stem of each plant and use clips to hold the good roots bottom to the good fruits top.  This technique is typically applied to heirlooms to improve plant vigor.

The bad news is my favorite heirloom seeds are becoming very scarce!  I will fess up - at the end of a growing season, saving seed is at the bottom of my list.  At that time, I gladly trade extra sleep then for couple extra dollars in seed packets later.  The problem is that Nyagous seeds are surprisingly scarce.

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