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                             Why I Love to Garden and Grow My Own Food

I would probably grow my own food organically due to all my concerns around commercial food quality, safety and lack of nutrition but what really motivates me is how much fun it is. Gardening is one of the best things I do for myself. Here are some of the reasons I love to garden…

-It makes me happy.  I love to take real true time and just ‘be’ on earth.
-I love the smell of rich soil and enjoy getting my hands into the earth.
-I like the feel of the sun on my back as I tend my plants. And yes I do talk to them, sometimes sing.
-I take care of my plants and they take care of me.
-The garden teaches me to be patient, observant and to trust the process of growth.
-I’m fascinated with the concept of growing plants which produce food which nourishes us.
-I look forward to choosing a daily of beautiful produce for lunch (a large raw vegetable salad) and vegetables to cook for dinner.
-I am convinced that these fresh vegetables have much higher nutritional value than any produce bought at the supermarket, which was often picked weeks before due to time in transport, packaging, storage and display before I buy it, plus it TASTES BETTER!                                          
-I believe strongly that these fresh vegetables are my primary source of strength, vitality and health.  I take that energy I eat from the plants and give it right back it right back through helping them grow, it is beautiful and I get full!
-I like knowing what is in my soil and that it is free of toxins found in most commercial farm soil.
-I enjoy improving my garden soil and leaving it better than I found it and know that better soil is the key to stronger plants which yields more top quality produce and tastes better.  Humans need good roots to grow from as well and it’s nice to know my values are planted deep in nature.
-It makes me feel good that I am not driving to the store as much and therefore am decreasing my gas expenses and dependence on fossil fuels.
-I like the feeling of self sufficiency which comes with growing my own food.
-All those bees and butterflies pollinating plants is a miracle to behold and they are fun to watch.
-Using precious water for food instead of growing grass makes lots of sense to me.
-The sound of rain water filling my rain barrels during a dry spell is like putting money in the bank.
-I enjoy adding food scraps to my worm bin and I am fascinated how they can eat my garbage and convert it into vermicompost, the richest possible supplement for my soil.
-Getting away for the computer and telephone and getting outside in the garden and slowing down to the speed of nature is a spiritual experience for me.
-I am amazed how hot a compost pile can get and that composting magically turns yard waste into good soil.
-I like to share excess produce and flowers with friends and neighbors. I am amazed at the
goodwill it creates. They often give me their excess produce in return or they go out of their way
to help me with something else. It definitely builds good relationships and fosters a sense of
community.

      I would like to hear from you why you like to garden. Send your reasponses to
johnroos07@hotmail.com   I hope to hear from you.

Step by Step Guide to Create a Successful No Dig Sheet Composted Garden(Instant Great Soil)         
     ( Based Largely on Toby Hemenway’s Recommendations in GAIA’s Garden) 

There are many variations and techniques of using this method. This is just one suggested approach based on our experience and Toby’s recommendations.  Google “No dig or no till” gardening for more ideas.

Ideally, this new garden bed should be prepared in the autumn and left to decompose over the winter. It is possible to use this technique in the spring but then it would be best if you could let the organic material sit for a month before planting. If you plant soon after making the new bed or the material hasn’t  decomposed much, make furrows or pockets in the top layer of mulch and fill them with compost and soil mix and plant directly into this. This will enable the new plants or seeds to grow while the sheet mulch is decomposing below it.  It is generally easier to grow established seedlings in a new no-dig garden rather than direct sowing of seeds. 

If you do plant immediately, don’t expect high yields the first season because the material hasn’t broken down enough to provide much nutrient for the new plants or seeds. Organic substances decompose when micro-organisms consume this material. It is only when these micro-organisms die that plant nutrients are released back into the soil in a form which the plants can use.

Building high quality, healthy soil is probably the most important thing we can do for our garden and is essential for growing healthy plants which produce vegetables with high nutritional value.  But it does take time so practice patience and slowing down to the speed of nature. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different materials.  All organic material breaks down and produces soil. Enjoy the following steps:

1. Mark out the area for the garden with string or boards which is preferably level and running east to west for best sun access and allows the use of trellises on the north edge for vertical gardening which won’t shade the garden. Put the garden as close to the kitchen as possible. Make sure the area gets 6-8 hours of sun. We suggest you start small at first- perhaps 4x12 feet. Don’t make it any wider than you can reach half way across from the sides. Some prefer beds no more than 30” wide for ease of strattling or stepping across. Garden paths should be ~12” wide for walking or 36” wide if you want to use wheelbarrows.

2. If the new garden area is heavily compacted soil (old parking area, etc) push a spading fork into the ground and rock it back and forth and do this over the entire area before laying down the new bed to encourage root penetration and drainage. It is also important to try to remove invasive plant species if possible that will travel laterally and appear out of the sides of the bed and then reinvade.

3. Some prefer to put in edging material like boards which will contain the soil when it is built up. If so, we suggest using untreated lumber or cedar beams or stack two 2x6’s on edge and only use painted wood if lead paint was not used. Use short sections of used pipe or rebar to hold it up.

4. Gather all the bedding materials together for the layering process before you start if possible.
5. It is very important to wet down the soil thoroughly before laying the new bed, if it is dry, to prevent the ground from sucking moisture out of the bed of new materials.
6. Cut down any grass or weeds and lay it on the ground or stomp it down. Don’t pull up normal weeds.

7. Add soil amendments if desired for maximum produce yields. See section on soil amendments at end.

8. If no grass or weeds are present, put down a thin green layer of fresh grass clippings, manure or vegetable scraps on the existing soil surface. This will help to rot any turf underneath. Fresh manure works best but should not be used if you intend to plant in the garden soon. Water grass or manure if dry.

9. Add worms if you have any. They will do much of the work to break down the organic material.

10. Cover the garden area with layers of wet newspaper (1/4-1/2” thick) or preferably use 2-3 layers of thick wet cardboard, with plastic and staples removed, to smother any weeds. Overlap the paper or cardboard so there are no gaps for weeds to grow through. Avoid using shiny colored paper. Water both sides of the cardboard just before laying it down, so it will start breaking down immediately or you can leave the cardboard out in rain before hand or a 2-3 minute dunk into a big plastic trash bucket of water works best.

11. Alternate thin layers of green (nitrogen rich) and thicker layers of brown (carbon rich) and water each layer. The green layers should be grass clippings which haven’t gone to seed (preferably cut in the previous 24 hours to avoid getting slimy) and are not sprayed, or fresh weeds preferably without seeds, manure, food scraps or seaweed.  The brown layers are newspaper, cardboard, dry leaves or unsprayed straw. The total depth of these layers should be 12-24” to build soil fertility. It will settle down to one quarter of the depth as the material breaks down. Try to create a plateau, not a mound, which could shed rainwater

12. Add 2-3” of compost, soil, or compost and soil mix. This is the layer you will plant in now or later.

13. Cover the area with at least a 2-4” layer of loose straw which breaks down slowly. This allows oxygen into the soil, prevents compaction and shouldn’t contain seeds. Make sure the straw hasn’t been sprayed with pesticides. Water the straw lightly. Avoid using hay which contains seeds and packs down and can become anaerobic and acidic. If you have high winds in your area, you may not want to use a final layer of straw or cover the straw with netting.
14 As this new soil structure is immature, the bed will need regular watering during dry periods.
15. Avoid stepping onto your new garden beds whenever possible because this compacts the soil and makes it more difficult for roots and oxygen to penetrate. Provide paths, boards or stepping stones to walk on.

16. We recommend using a drip irrigation and water timer system for effective watering in the dry west.

17. After each season, it helps to add new layers of organic material to provide fresh nutrients to the soil.

Soil amendments to add
Nitrogen- In addition to, or instead of manure, which provides nitrogen, one can add blood meal. Phosphorous- Gardens are often deficient in phosphorous which can be helped by adding rock phosphate dust or bone meal. This can be added at the rate of 10 lbs per 100 sq ft.
Minerals- Add some green sand or rock dust to the garden to add various trace minerals.

Soil alkalinity/acidity- Most vegetables function optimally in a pH range of 6.5-7, slightly acidic. It is best to periodically test one’s soil. Inexpensive testing kits are available at local nurseries. If the soil is too acidic, add lime lightly. If it is too alkaline, add sulphate of ammonia or pine needles which are acidic.

Use of plastic?
Definitely do not use plastic sheeting or weed mat under the mulch because it will prevent plant roots from penetrating it and will not allow nutrients or worms to move freely in the soil. We also discourage the use of plastic on top of the mulch because it sheds rainwater and off- gases toxins when it heats up.

Compost
Most gardeners come to realize the importance and value of adding high quality compost to the surface of their gardens each year mixed into the top layers of soil. Therefore, we recommend learning how to create a separate compost pile on your property which will enhance your soil fertility.

The most complete book I am aware of on the no dig technique is Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza.