Back to Eden Gardening Thread~Note: pic heavy thread.

[Lazy Gardener]

I've found that the sugar snap peas are best used as a snap pea. Shelled, they get starchy very quickly, they have a very short window of time between filled pod and sweet, vs. filled pod and starchy. I love them, though, and hope to get some in the freezer. Mine are about 2' tall now, and should be blooming any time soon.

 

[Beekissed]

Planted two rows of tomatoes, started here from seed saved from last year, and was pleased to find the crumbly, dark soil/compost from the chips made digging a hole for each easy. The delight I feel in that change in the soils cannot be expressed and I thank God for it! Just underneath that is the yellow/red clay that's hard to dig into, though less hard to penetrate than when I wasn't doing BTE.

I need to put up another trellis in order to plant the remaining tomatoes and I'll definitely transplant my big, healthy volunteer tomato that sneaked under the tunnel to grow....I may just bend him OUT from under the tunnel and stake him right there without transplanting.

I was pleased to note also that the onions I've set out previously seem to be thriving, unlike in previous years of planting them...I think I planted them too deep last year but this year I barely put them into the chips.

 

[baymule]

I am glad that your soil is improving. A clay soil buster is long root radishes planted in the spring and left to go to seed. Then let them stay in the ground over the winter and rot. it is supposed to open up the clay.

 

[Beekissed]

I am glad that your soil is improving. A clay soil buster is long root radishes planted in the spring and left to go to seed. Then let them stay in the ground over the winter and rot. it is supposed to open up the clay.

I don't know if that would work here...I planted carrots and they look just lovely from looking at the tops, but when you pull them they are twisted little knobs from being unable to penetrate the clay. Are radishes tougher than carrots in that regard?

 

[baymule]

I haven't done that personally, but radishes are used in heavy clay soil. They are planted in spring, fall or late summer (depending on local climate) and left to grow, they freeze and die back in cold climates. The radish rots and opens up the soil. It provides food for earthworms and soil microbes and helps the soil absorb rain water instead of running off. Carrots are known to need a loose soil.

 

[Beekissed]

I'll keep that in mind and may order some such long radishes to plant for fall to see how that works. I wonder if beets would do the same. I tried to plant a certain kind of long, white beet in the past but none of them germinated.

 

[baymule]

It couldn't hurt to try.

https://www.bountifulgardens.org/products/CFO-7050

 

[tortoise]

@DebLewis

 

[DebLewis]

M

@DebLewis

Many thanks!

 

[DebLewis]

Question: ... can anyone point me to a poster/flyer that summarises BTE gardening? ... I am a visual person and would love to put something on my wall to keep reminding me what it's all about
Also ... in other places ... I have seen people refer to "the BTE website" ... but when I look for one I can find only YouTube videos. Have avidly watched the main video (several times), and a few of the others, but can't find a website per se ... can anyone point me in the right direction?
Many thanks
Deb