Why I Keep Reading
Why do I continually read gardening books even though I’m fairly knowledgeable on the subject? Because every now and then I come across a gem like this:
“Another unique use of cover crops is in the strawberry bed. Recent research has shown that after fruiting, June-bearing strawberry plants are very tolerant of shade. A cover crop–of oats, for example–sown right in the strawberry bed after the berries have been gathered can shade out weeds through the growing season, then eventually flop down dead to provide the mulch in which strawberry plants thrive.”
Lee Reich – from Weedless Gardening
The section on cover crops in this book is fantastic. Since it’s a no-till garden book, he focuses on the cover crops that are easy to kill without tilling in. In fact the cover crop chart in this book is fenomenal, worth ready the book for. The remainder of the book wasn’t anything too exciting.
I’ve always had good luck with rye and vetch, I simply cut them in the late spring and let the foliage compost on the ground. I’ve never had issues with it growing back or causing problems. This year I’m looking forward to trying a few new cover crops, no doubt you’ll be reading all about them here.
What’s your favorite cover crop? Or have you never used them before?
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Optimism
optimism [op-tuh-miz-uhm] noun – a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.
I’m an optimistic person. Mr Chiots are planning our big move in mid-September, which is too late for planting a fall/winter garden. Not being one to discount it because of the move, I am starting a few flats of seeds with hopes of being able to make a trip up to the new place sometime in late July or early August to plant my fall crops.
What did I start?
Leeks: Bleu of Solaise, Tadorna, Carentan
Kale: Lacinato, Toscano, Red Russian, Winterbor
Brussels Sprouts: Long Island Improved
Cabbage: Tete Noire, Perfection Drumhead Savoy, Pixie
Broccoli: Purple Peacock, Waltham,
Cauliflower: Giant of Naples, Snowball
Radicchio: Casteldefranco Libra, Rossa di Verona Dragon
Will I get up there? Who knows, maybe, maybe not. If I do make it up I’ll have a few flats of seedlings that I can plant. Will the plants survive without me? Who knows, maybe, maybe not. When I was debating whether to plant the seeds or not, I figured I had nothing to lose. A few dollars in seeds and a half hour of my time. If I don’t make it to Maine before our move, I’ll take them and plant them in a low tunnel to see what happens. I figured I have nothing to lose!
Have you started your fall/winter garden yet?
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Happy 4th of July
Hopefully your flag is flying high in the garden if you live here in the US and you have a wonderful weekend of cookouts, friends and fireworks.
This weekend we’re planning on enjoying the fireworks here in our little lake community with our friends. For the first time in the 10 years we’ve lived here we’ll be watching the fireworks from a boat out on the lake. We’ve heard it’s the best way to see them and we’re excited.
What are you plans to celebrate this holiday weekend?
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On the Road
Mr Chiots and I are still on the road, we’ll be arriving home later today. Those of you who guessed Monticello were right. I’ve always wanted to go and we finally made it on Monday. After driving up the Skyline Drive, and doing a few short hikes in the Shenandoah Mountains, we ended up in Cumberland, MA and enjoyed some in season soft shelled crab at a small restaurant near our hotel. I haven’t had time even to download all my photos, so I’ll be posting about it more in depth later this week or early next.
Today I’ll leave you with Thomas Jefferson’s 10 Rules to Live by:
1. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today.
2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.
3. Never spend your money before you have earned it.
4. Never buy what you don’t want because it is cheap.
5. Pride costs more than hunger, thirst and cold.
6. We seldom repent of having eaten too little.
7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
8. How much pain the evils have cost us that never happened.
9. Take things always by the smooth handle.
10. When angry, count ten before you speak, if very angry, count to a hundred.
Have you ever been to Monticello or a past president’s home?
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Drink to Your Health
Mr Chiots and I try to be very healthy and I’m always trying to find ways to layer more nutrition into our diets. I’m typically a water drinker, not really enjoying much else as far as beverages go. I have no trouble drinking hot tea in the winter, but I’m not a huge fan of cold beverages. Lately, however, I’ve been trying to drink more iced teas in order to add more vitamins, minerals, trace elements and antioxidants to my diet.
So far this summer I’ve been enjoying iced organic black tea, organic chai tea and all kinds of organic herbal teas. There really isn’t anything much better than a glass of tea after spending a few hours in the garden. I buy all of my tea from Mountain Rose Herbs. One of my favorites is the ‘Seasons of Discomfort’ tea, an herbal tea made specially to help with allergies. Drinking glasses of this while working outside helps me not have as much trouble with the allergies from all the pollen.
I must disclose that they give me a small percentage of what you purchase if you click through the links on my blog. But never fear, I’d never recommend something if I didn’t buy and love myself. I order all of my spices, herbs and teas from Mountain Rose Herbs as well as most of my face wash and face oil.
What’s your favorite cold summer beverage?
