Need advice for gardening.

doodah · 09-19-2008, 02:36 AM

Hello MargueriteBee

Gardening! A subject close to my heart. There are many theories about how to do this.

1. The old way is to plow the ground up, turn the top-growth [grasses or weeds] under, let it sit like that over the winter, so the grasses decompose and make compost. In the spring you plow again to loosen the soil. Add manure if you've got it, to fertilize. Or dig in more compost if you've got that. Plants are laid out in rows or however you want to organize them. Weeds will grow, so mulching will be needed to control them, and to help retain water. Or you can hoe the weeds out in the old way.

2. There is soil-less gardening also, using alfalfa hay. This is done when you are ready to plant, but you need to get the hay in advance. Basically you build a bed of alfalfa bales, breaking up the hay and intermingling compost or manure. Your plants are put directly into this mix. As it breaks down and gets compacted, you just keep adding more alfalfa hay around the plants. No weeds grow and this needs less water because the hay acts as a mulch.

3. Then there is the Native American way. No plowing, just make small mounds of earth, throw in a fish and a seed. Plant corn and climbing plants together so that the climbers use the corn to climb up.

Maybe this will help get you started! Out in the country there are other pollinators, too, in addition to bees. Many small insects help this process -- varieties of flies, wasps, etc. which collect moisture from plants, not pollen, but they spread pollen as they walk around, as do butterflies, even hummingbirds.

09-19-2008, 02:36 AM	#2
doodah Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 373	Re: Need advice for gardening. Hello MargueriteBee Gardening! A subject close to my heart. There are many theories about how to do this. 1. The old way is to plow the ground up, turn the top-growth [grasses or weeds] under, let it sit like that over the winter, so the grasses decompose and make compost. In the spring you plow again to loosen the soil. Add manure if you've got it, to fertilize. Or dig in more compost if you've got that. Plants are laid out in rows or however you want to organize them. Weeds will grow, so mulching will be needed to control them, and to help retain water. Or you can hoe the weeds out in the old way. 2. There is soil-less gardening also, using alfalfa hay. This is done when you are ready to plant, but you need to get the hay in advance. Basically you build a bed of alfalfa bales, breaking up the hay and intermingling compost or manure. Your plants are put directly into this mix. As it breaks down and gets compacted, you just keep adding more alfalfa hay around the plants. No weeds grow and this needs less water because the hay acts as a mulch. 3. Then there is the Native American way. No plowing, just make small mounds of earth, throw in a fish and a seed. Plant corn and climbing plants together so that the climbers use the corn to climb up. Maybe this will help get you started! Out in the country there are other pollinators, too, in addition to bees. Many small insects help this process -- varieties of flies, wasps, etc. which collect moisture from plants, not pollen, but they spread pollen as they walk around, as do butterflies, even hummingbirds.