Diggin' In - Progress Journal (3/22 - 3/23)
3/22/12. New Water Nozzle!
We bought a cute hose nozzle yesterday, to assist in the crucial watering process of the transplants (2x a day while they recover from the shock). I took a stroll through the garden section of the hardware store to get some ideas. How helpful it was! I also got the price check some things - check out my findings: insert findings
The hose has been nice to keep the plants moist. They are definitely getting some sun - and no incidents of snail feasting. But those 16 - 1 (fed to turtle) are still in the clay pot with leaves...in the shade. We’re at a loss as to what to do with them. I resist going out to hunt again for fear we’ll get another 20 more!
I want to look into adding vermiculite to the transplant mix (using “Happy Medium Potting Soil”) to hold moisture and nutrients. I noticed the seedlings aren’t growing as rapidly as they were before. Maybe I should email Jim at Soil Solutions and ask his thoughts. Perhaps some compost tea is in order.
Also, need to put together a materials wishlist for donations from stores. We want to build garden boxes (cedar or redwood last longest), hay bale beds, etc. A goal for tomorrow.
This Saturday, 3/24, is going to be our first work party. “Ivy and compost day” - we’ll see how it goes! Wonderful I’d imagine. Also in the works for D.r.e.e.m. Reality is creating a Santa Cruz DreemGarden Collective. This will allow for a network of locals to share produce, eggs, honey, etc - perhaps eventually using the surplus for a CSA or Farmers Market!
So far, locally we have: Eric, Melissa, Sara Pop, and us!
We bought a cute hose nozzle yesterday, to assist in the crucial watering process of the transplants (2x a day while they recover from the shock). I took a stroll through the garden section of the hardware store to get some ideas. How helpful it was! I also got the price check some things - check out my findings: insert findings
The hose has been nice to keep the plants moist. They are definitely getting some sun - and no incidents of snail feasting. But those 16 - 1 (fed to turtle) are still in the clay pot with leaves...in the shade. We’re at a loss as to what to do with them. I resist going out to hunt again for fear we’ll get another 20 more!
I want to look into adding vermiculite to the transplant mix (using “Happy Medium Potting Soil”) to hold moisture and nutrients. I noticed the seedlings aren’t growing as rapidly as they were before. Maybe I should email Jim at Soil Solutions and ask his thoughts. Perhaps some compost tea is in order.
Also, need to put together a materials wishlist for donations from stores. We want to build garden boxes (cedar or redwood last longest), hay bale beds, etc. A goal for tomorrow.
This Saturday, 3/24, is going to be our first work party. “Ivy and compost day” - we’ll see how it goes! Wonderful I’d imagine. Also in the works for D.r.e.e.m. Reality is creating a Santa Cruz DreemGarden Collective. This will allow for a network of locals to share produce, eggs, honey, etc - perhaps eventually using the surplus for a CSA or Farmers Market!
So far, locally we have: Eric, Melissa, Sara Pop, and us!
3/23/12. Snails and Transplanting
Snails...oh yeah, we have to sacrifice those snails from the other night. We’ve been putting it off because it’s so intense to think about killing such obviously alive creatures. We’ve decided to send them back to the earth via the compost hole, a large rock...and gravity. It was quite the experience (see the end of this video for the action)
Snails...oh yeah, we have to sacrifice those snails from the other night. We’ve been putting it off because it’s so intense to think about killing such obviously alive creatures. We’ve decided to send them back to the earth via the compost hole, a large rock...and gravity. It was quite the experience (see the end of this video for the action)
And now it’s time to continue transplanting! We found several planting pots around the house and are going to use them as a middle step before the raised bed and hay bales. We went to visit Jim at “Soil Solutions” today, to buy more “Happy Medium” potting soil ($18.12) and he gave us a bit of his Compost Tea for free to try out! We’re supposed to spray it on the leaves and soil.
In the compost tea:
In the compost tea:
We performed a few experiements with the compost tea that we got...
Arugula layout & compost tea trail - in small-medium pot: Melinda put together a mix of soil using about: 60% local soil and 40% Happy Medium potting mix.
Arugula layout & compost tea trail - in small-medium pot: Melinda put together a mix of soil using about: 60% local soil and 40% Happy Medium potting mix.
Cilantro layout & compost tea on roots - in big pot: Some tea put directly on the roots others on the soil.
Cauliflower, Kale, and Beets - high clay content in mix, using mulch from the front yard, some top soil from yard (lots of clay), and soil from old pots.
The transplanting happened late in the day, leaving the seedlings without much sun afterwards...hope that’s ok. Oh, and we don’t really like our fancy new watering nozzle very much - it’s not gentle enough on the babies.
Also today, we measured the yard and garden space! The intention is to draw up some plans for the beds and such. Insert drawing
Tonight’s snail hunting around 10:15 pm yielded: 3 Slugs, 24 snails! Sacrifice completed.
Another round of snail hunting at 12 am: 7 slugs, 10 snails!
Oh! There was a baby snail on the pea leaves and there was evidence of munching for the first time!
The transplanting happened late in the day, leaving the seedlings without much sun afterwards...hope that’s ok. Oh, and we don’t really like our fancy new watering nozzle very much - it’s not gentle enough on the babies.
Also today, we measured the yard and garden space! The intention is to draw up some plans for the beds and such. Insert drawing
Tonight’s snail hunting around 10:15 pm yielded: 3 Slugs, 24 snails! Sacrifice completed.
Another round of snail hunting at 12 am: 7 slugs, 10 snails!
Oh! There was a baby snail on the pea leaves and there was evidence of munching for the first time!
Labels: ~Dani, Diggin' In
posted by D.r.e.e.m. Reality @ 4:23 PM
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