May 08 08
Posted on Tue, 20 May 2008 14:23:54 by Aaron
Moon in first quater
Well, my intention to journal regularly so far hasn’t happened. So much work since the last entry.
Starting with today. Planted native xerescape grass on the dry bank facing the road. The seed was from last year so hopefully will germinate. Its function is aesthetic and to help control erosion. Not sure how else it will contribute to the system, but it seems good to have native grass on that hill instead of bare clay. I suppose I could have researched a more “useful” thing to plant there, but I had the grass so in it goes. It was rainy all night andinto the morning and remains cloudy, so it seemed like a good time to get the grass going. I also put in some native red clover and prarie coneflower in between the nanking cherry and golden current in the south east corner of the garden area.
I also divided an entire comfrey plant from the east hillside between the peach and nectarine (under globe willow) and planted it near the water spigot. I got about 9 strong divisions, and put them in a circle with a deep hole in the middle with a big bone in the bottom covered in gravel . The concept is to be able to fill the hole with water and let the comfreys feed on the drips/etc from the water spigot. Also am thinking that the bone will provide calcium over time as well as a large quantity of gravel for the comfrey to extract minerals from. On top of the gravel I have started a pile of “green manure” and some worm food. The idea similar to a banana circle to feed the plants, compost material and also gather the fallen leaves from the comfrey. The circle is surrounded by several alfalfa plants which I intend to cut back and toss in the center of the comfrey. Down the road it may make a great tree planting spot, but mostly just seeking to get a lot more comfrey going.
Yesterday I put in another bed on the west side of the peach, next to the previous bed I installed. This one I double dug and fertilized with some chicken and sawdust compost. It’s a rainbow shaped bed with large alfalfa in the center of the arch… to be used for green manure on the bed. I planted Nasturtium in each corner and calendula along the south side. Even though I covered it with some fencing, the chickens manged to get in and rip up all the straw mulch I applied… Today I cut a piece of fence with smaller gaps and layed it over the top… which has so far thwarted the chickens.
The chickens definitely are an interesting element to deal with. They are sort of pet to my mom who likes to let them roam free, but they pretty much destroy in a few minutes anything that is mulched. It is obvious that either they must be fenced out, or fenced in to a smaller area. It is definitely a design flaw in the current set up where the chicken coop is placed. But the thought of moving it at this point is daunting. It was built by the previous owner and is totally fox and raccoon proof into the ground, a great building all in all. Though as I write I don’t know that the chickens need such a luxurous space. But I am considering fencing an area around the coop to keep the chickens more contained and let them free range only occasionally. They are spoiled! Could put them to work in a chicken tractor for a little while so they can really appreciate their current complete free range.
Two days ago I started a compost heap inside the chicken yard. Harvisting the largest comfrey, an entire lovage plant and mowing the yard and raking to get a full sized pile. The placement of the chicken coop though is definitely not in the flow, and it would probably make more sense to put the next pile closer to the gardening area. It definitely illustrates a design flaw, the chicken coop and the garden do not share a boundary with each other, requiring a lot of excess wheelbarrow work hauling stuff to the coop and manure/compost from the coop back to the garden.
Yesterday and the previous day I continued the play project on the wild irrigation stream that comes down the hill. I am engaged in making it “musical” with waterfalls and rocks place to make the most sound and different “notes” this fun project also creates a good amount of aeration and a very pleasant place to sit in the cottonwood grove and meditate/nap. It’s the only part of the property that is a thriving mostly wild environment, the irrigation stream is strictly seasonal, but in its middle portion feels relatively wild. I also dug some shallow pools next to the waterfalls and put in some watercress which I gathered from a large patch of it in the ditch at the bottom of the mesa. I am curious to see if there is enough water long enough to keep it coming back each year.
I also began cleaning up the south facing rock herb garden under the peach tree. The mint had gone out of control, only the oregano seemed to stand up to it. I pulled out as much mint as possible and am thinking to put in thyme, winter savery and fennel. All of which seem like plants that can stand up to the mint…. And eventually contain it I hope. The oregano is certainly a good example of something that can stand up to mint and keep it back. Though the oregano is also spreading, but at a much slower rate.
Several days ago I set up irrigation for the hackberry trees in the middle of the property, and in the process discovered another honey locust that had been pretty much abandoned and eaten by deer. It got some water and protective fence. The deer seem to love it , but leave the hackberries completely alone.
Ordered Seed:
Oryzopsis hymenoides quarter pound - Indian Ricegrass
Atriplex canescens ounce -Saltbush
Yucca glauca quarter ounce - Yucca
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