Since it's Spring and everyone is talking about gardening, it made sense to post a story about my gardening experiences over the past umpteen years! I have been gardening and canning from my gardens for 33 years........wow! You'd think I know more than I actually do when it comes to gardening, but sometimes, just getting a garden planted, tending to it, and canning from it, can seem overwhelming....gardening is work, plain and simple.
I've recently learned about a "gardening technique" that our locals call, "Lasagna Technique." In actuality, the Lasagna technique of gardening has been around since the early 1900's. Ruth Stout was the originator of this gardening style. Ruth called it "sheet mulching gardening." I kinda like that term better, the visual in the name or something. Maybe it's because I'm not a huge lasagna fan, I don't know.
The idea of this gardening technique is pretty cut and dry. You are basically making compost in your garden beds. I've always been a "raised bed gardener" until I moved out to our lil' ranch. The previous owners had a large garden area tilled near our barns. Not having ever really planted in the dirt without a garden bed, I thought I'd give it a try. I have to tell you, although this garden produced prolifically for me over the past four years, I spent my life out in the garden weeding! I was losing my love of gardening very quickly. I turned to "The Man" not long ago and told him, "if you don't help me make garden beds, I'm not canning you anymore pickles, beets, greens, pumpkin or tomatoes"...........that seemed to be his inspiration! He loves home-grown, home-canned goodies his wife makes him. I know, I really play hard ball at times! Thus, the "re-vamping" of the Anderson garden.
Our beds are assorted in length, width remains the same. They are made of recycled and reclaimed materials. Sandstone, wood, galvanized metal...........it's the "shanty town" of gardens. We feel good using these materials, I don't care that it doesn't look like Martha Stewart's raised bed garden........I mean, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME???" So begins the new and improved Anderson garden.
Let me just say here quickly that part of the inspiration for the re-vamping of our garden came from a local tour not long ago, at a farmer's market grower. His explanation and technique of his gardening was my inspiration. Wish I'd listened to him five years ago when he offered to come to my house and show me "how!" Such is life.
So begins the work for the Anderson's. We build the beds out of reclaimed and recycled materials with corner posts sunk in the ground and bracing every 6-8 ft. We line the beds with chicken wire that is purchased in 4-ft. wide rolls (this process is done to keep moles, voles, prarie dogs and anything else that's a "digger" out). The next layer is cardboard, a full layer. We used boxes that we broke down (these are free!). On top of the cardboard we place a brown or green manure, doesn't matter which one you start with, as long as you alternate the layers. Brown manures should be twice as thick as the green manures. We also bought a truck-load of black cinder sand for $12. I mix one shovel full of sand into three shovel full of mulch (or brown manure). Mix and use. Keep alternating browns, greens, browns, greens. The depth of these beds should be anywhere from 18-24-inches high. Wet each layer lightly before adding another layer. You will finish this garden bed with good soil (that may cost you some money). When the bed is complete and you've wet the whole concoction for a few days, sprinkle bonemeal over the top (kinda like the icing on a cake), this will give you added phosphorus. PLANT your heirloom, organic seeds.
Remember that annually you will have to amend the soil, but from this point on, you have created some incredible rich, humus soil that will give you healthy veggies and herbs. As you amend this annually, it only gets better, darker, more fluffy, loaded with a lot of microbial growth that will nourish your veggies.
I'm very excited to be "back into my gardening forte'," I can grow incredible gardens with gardening beds, they are easy to amend, easy to weed (this won't be a perfectly weed free garden), easy to harvest from. I'm glad I only wasted four years trying this "other" gardening, let me tell you, it SUCKS! And it does because it destroys all the microbial growth in the soil, it turns up weed seeds so that sunlight hits them and thus begins your "weed patch." It hurts the lil' earth worms (if you have any), and it's just plain hard on the soil. Also, remember to heavily mulch your walk-ways so weeds don't begin growing in them. Use either a drip irrigation system on this garden, or a bubbler turned down low, or hand water. Don't over-head water ANY PART OF IT, or you will create more weeds within your garden boundry.
I had a garden once upon a time, I sold herbs to a local restaurant, I fed other families, I fed my own family, I harvested and dried my own herbs and never bought store bought herbs............I'm back to my roots this year, me and my "shanty town" garden! Happy Gardening y'll!
