So we are thinking of several points of focus this year:
1) Aroma Garden - The wife is planning an aroma garden for the right side of the yard (in front of the raspberries if you are familiar). Not sure what all this will include, so it will be a nice surprise.
2) Finish the Raised Beds - Still need to finish the ground cover, put in some trellises, get the setting area set up. Wondering on the ground cover. The original plan was something like this:
But this might be a pretty expensive, and I am worried that it might not actually be comfortable to walk on . I think I have enough there for another post, or 20 .
3) Fruit Trees - Really two separate issues here. Trees for the yard (apples, cherries, and if I can convince the wife, nuts), and dwarf/mini trees for pots that will have to come in over the winter (lemons, limes, pomegranates, Bay, camillia sinensis, ?). Lots of work to do on those. But the rewards!
4) Improve Fruit Beds - We need to VASTLY improve the soil in the strawberry beds and plant a new variety in the second one, more grapes, better delineation, protection and support for the blackberries, install the haskap, add a second cultivar of raspberries.
5) Soil Improvement - I almost want to call it soil breeding. I am really trying to change my paradigm to think of soil as living, not just an inert structural support that you can pour nutrients into. That is harder than one would think. Also, wondering how to improve the soil all around, under my trees, etc. Its going to be a LOT of work, but worth it.
6) Surprises - I have a few surprises for you and the wife, but that will have to wait.
Wonder what else will come our way.
Any ideas out there for ground cover for the walkway and in between the raised beds?
I've had great luck with soil improvement simply by mulching (then you don't have to work the amendments into the soil). After a season or two of adding good mulch (I really like Sweet Peat), the worms came and they have worked a lot of it into the soil. Saves me working it in!
ReplyDeleteI'm considering letting each of my raised beds go fallow for part of a the season each year and using cover crops. They're a great inexpensive way to improve the soil. Most permaculture books have great sections on cover crops.
Hope you're feeling better soon!!!