So here I am writing my first post of 2014. Things are moving along here on Little Bit Farm. I have ordered and received my early spring seeds. I have, with the assistance of my boys, erected a greenhouse frame, and purchased plastic to cover it. I have also made plans on how to approach my garden this year with regard to weed control and such.

   This year, I am experimenting with several new techniques. For my main early garden, I am using cheap, blue, tarps to control weeds. I am going to level my raised beds, lay down the tarps, and secure them with u-shaped pins. Then with a box cutter, I will slit the tarps where I want to plant, in the shape of a capital I. I'll then fold back the edges, pin, fertilize, and plant. This will give me paths that won't grow to weeds, providing me with a clean place to work as well.

           
               My mom is visiting this week, and today we are going to make seed tape today. This way, I will be able to simply lay the tape in the row, lightly cover, and reduce thinning.  This will really help with the root crops that do better with some space between. The carrots will be planted with some radishes to help mark the rows and get two crops from one row.

               Speaking of multiple crops from one space. My second experiment is an experiment in growing a plot more like nature. I have done a lot of investigation into permaculture. Permaculture is a practice of planned gardening that uses natural methods of producing food. One of the many components is working with nature, and combining many types of plants in an area to take advantage of the abilities of the various plants to resist pests, pull nutrients from the soil, and shelter one another. This allows for better soil conservation, and produces food with reduced effort.

                In the past, I have suffered with several stubborn weeds and grasses. I'm tired of the trouble that tilling seems to create on this plot of ground, so I am looking for methods to work with the natural system, rather than against it. So I am going to pick a plot, and just scatter seed. I have a lot of old seed. I am going to create a seed mix full of herbs, flowers, vegetables, vines, and fruit, and just scatter it with a hoe to just cover the big things. Then I am going to let it alone, let nature take its course, harvest any crop God provides, and study the results.

                 My intent is to actually do this in two places. One of these gardens will be here, and one out at my property. This will give me two soil types, and two different weed bases, and also two different animal and pest populations. By doing this out at the property, I expect to learn some things about how to manage the wildlife there. I also expect to learn about drought resistance, as neither plot will be watered. I also hope to learn about naturalization of plants. What plants will naturalize? What plants won't?  I am excited to see the results, and I will blog about it as I go. Of course, all of this will be in addition to my standard plot as a control as well as a hedge.

                 So that is what is happening here. I wish everyone a spring of growth and discovery!