Sunflower Savannah: Preparation and Planting

Tomorrow at;

THE MONTESSORI CITY GARDEN SCHOOL

Market List:
Sassy Spring Greens, Garlic tops, Grass Fed Lamb,
Heirloom and Hybrid Tomato Plants: Azoychka Russian, Early Girl, Pork Chop, Lemon Boy, Thai Turtle Egg, Pink Girl, Black Krim, Mortgage Lifter, Pantano Romanesco, Paul Robeson, Golden Sunray, Amish Paste, Arkansas Traveler, Green Copia, Green Zebra, and probably some others. All grown in Organic potting mix, with non GMO seed sources

Don't forget,

We will be at MONTESSORI CITY GARDEN SCHOOL

It's just Temporary, next week we will be back at the park.

Last week we were in a hurry to get home because Vesterbrook Farm brought out their Bed Shaper and Mike, Caleb and Al came to help us get the garden tilled and permanent beds put in. Many of you don't know this, but we have awesome soil at Sunflower Savannah because of the sheep manure that goes in to the garden, but we have a mighty struggle with Bermuda Grass. It's because of this that we have to till. Our soil has such tilth to it that if it were not for this crazy, all consuming grass, tilling would be unnecessary. We have been working on ways to combat it and last fall we started with the new raised beds on the outside Then this winter we went to this workshop on permanent beds.

So you shape these beds and put fabric or plastic in between and then kinda reverse it when you are not using them. So the weeds can't grow up so it saves you time weeding, maximizes the space you have to grow and you solarize the ground in between seasons. Solarization is where you put clear plastic over the ground to heat it up through sunlight so the weed seeds spring up and then die soon after because there is no where to go. Then you pull off the plastic and plant. Cool huh? The point is not to continue tilling and disturbing the ecosystem in your soil.

So I wasn't expecting this, but Rusty was as usual on the job also when I got back.

You can see him on the tractor with the bed shaper. In the background, is the new high tunnel addition on the left, attached to the greenhouse on the right. Bill also built the greenhouse. My husband is great by the way. I tell what I need and he tries to make it happen.

Here he and Caleb are running the ducks out of the newly tilled ground. A big part of our growing area is visible is this photo. While they were here, we also got some help moving the germination cooler in the greenhouse. Since we expanded, everything needed to be moved around. It's hard for Bill to take care of all of this himself. . . All in all, a lot was accomplished that was sorely needed.