Deberosa
04-02-2008, 08:52 PM
Here is a new post I added to my Blog at
Deberosahomestead.wordpress.com
Today the weather stayed dry enough to be able to get some tilling done and cover crops in. For the early crops I've chosen Buckwheat that now should be able to be tilled in by the end of May for mid June planting. I also tried one secion about 8 by 25 of spelt and will plant more a bit later.
I don't have much experience with cover crops, so this is a learn as I go project.
Last fall I planted some rye grass and dutch clover. In the picture below you can see how that ended up.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/001-3.jpg
This garden I am planting Buckwheat to grow through May. The green strip is alfalfa that I planted last fall and beyond that I put in Spelt which I will leave for the summer to produce grain. The soil is still a bit damp but the spelt is supposed to grow well in that. I scattered the seed and lightly raked in. Rain is supposed to start again in two days so won't need to worry about watering.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/003-2.jpg
The second garden area - my "field garden" where beans, root crops including mangel beets and pumpkins and squash will go is where I also planted buckwheat as an early cover crop. I had picked the stones that showed up after the winter rain in this area and tilling was much easier this year. Last year this area was cover cropped with wheat and oats for the summer then alfalfa and clover for the winter. All of the poultry graze this field all winter long - they have been moved to another new area to clear. The field to the left of the tilled area will be tilled later for more spelt and alfalfa for the entire summer. Right now it was too muddy for the tractor to get into even! I plan to "switch sides" of this field for the garden each year.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/005-3.jpg
Last of all I put in a crop of giant red clover in the area that the chickens were in for the past two winters. This is just off of my back yard with it's arbor and garden. I hope to put the chickens back in these areas to graze the clover in the winter.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/009-3.jpg
Deberosahomestead.wordpress.com
Today the weather stayed dry enough to be able to get some tilling done and cover crops in. For the early crops I've chosen Buckwheat that now should be able to be tilled in by the end of May for mid June planting. I also tried one secion about 8 by 25 of spelt and will plant more a bit later.
I don't have much experience with cover crops, so this is a learn as I go project.
Last fall I planted some rye grass and dutch clover. In the picture below you can see how that ended up.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/001-3.jpg
This garden I am planting Buckwheat to grow through May. The green strip is alfalfa that I planted last fall and beyond that I put in Spelt which I will leave for the summer to produce grain. The soil is still a bit damp but the spelt is supposed to grow well in that. I scattered the seed and lightly raked in. Rain is supposed to start again in two days so won't need to worry about watering.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/003-2.jpg
The second garden area - my "field garden" where beans, root crops including mangel beets and pumpkins and squash will go is where I also planted buckwheat as an early cover crop. I had picked the stones that showed up after the winter rain in this area and tilling was much easier this year. Last year this area was cover cropped with wheat and oats for the summer then alfalfa and clover for the winter. All of the poultry graze this field all winter long - they have been moved to another new area to clear. The field to the left of the tilled area will be tilled later for more spelt and alfalfa for the entire summer. Right now it was too muddy for the tractor to get into even! I plan to "switch sides" of this field for the garden each year.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/005-3.jpg
Last of all I put in a crop of giant red clover in the area that the chickens were in for the past two winters. This is just off of my back yard with it's arbor and garden. I hope to put the chickens back in these areas to graze the clover in the winter.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b340/deberosa/009-3.jpg