Filled and Planted (sorta)...

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Filled one of the beds.  Planted over the weekend.  My fill was right out of Mel's book.  1/3 coarse vermiculite, 1/3 peat, and 1/3 various bagged compost.  Remember, this is by volume, not weight.  A 40lb bag of compost is only around 1.5ish cubic feet, while a 4 cubit foot bag is vermiculite weighs next to nothing.

The bed is light and airy, with lots of organic material.  I'm cleaning out beside the barn, where there is a big pile of composted material left from the previous owner.  That is coming into use later with the asparagus and strawberry beds.

I tied the two long ends together with a piece of oak that was treated with the boiled linseed oil to keep them from bowing out over time.  This also allowed me to work half the bed at a time.  I marked my squares using screws spaced 12" apart and white nylon string (that my neighbor (linseed girl) and I spent 2 hours and 3 stores looking for).  Here is a closer shot.

What's planted you are wondering. From top to bottom, and left to right, per square:

• 16 Daikon radishes, 16 Daikon radishes, 9 Detroit Red Beets, 9 Snap Peas
• 16 Watermelon radishes, 16 Watermelon Radishes, 9 Detroit's, 9 Snap Peas
• 9 Spinach, 9 Spinach, 9 Chiaoga Beets, 9 Little Marvel Peas
• Mesculin, Lettuce, <future carrots>, 9 Little Marvel Peas
• Lettuce, Lettuce, <future carrots>, 16 Carrots Short and Sweet
• 2 Romanescu, 2 Romanescu, <future carrot>, 16 Carrots Davers
• 2 Romanescu, 2 Romanescu, <future carrot>, 16 Multicolored carrots

Why so many carrots?  I like carrots, grand kids like carrots, Linseed Girl (her new name) likes carrots, and I bribe my neighbors dog with carrots.

The Romanescu might be a little crowded as it gets bigger.  I've never grown it before, but it is a favorite of Linseed Girl.  I might have to transplant each in it's own square, like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage etc. 

Hope to have the rest of this bed filled soon.  Have broccoli and other stuff that Linseed Girl started from seed.  She is very stoked about this garden.  It's turning into a community garden, which is fine by me.  A friend stopped by while we were planting.  He didn't realize I had a bit of anal compulsion in me (as it related to stringing the squares).  He was very impressed.

Till next time.

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