Saturday, May 08, 2010

Greenhouse Bed

Blogger won't let me type next to the top photo. Bad Blogger!

Today I worked on the greenhouse planter bed and finished up the layers in outside beds up to ground level. The next step will be to build wooden planter box frames so I can add more layers and soil for planting. The top two photos are of the bed in the greenhouse. I dug out the area, filled it with old branches and then filled the bed with water to soak the bed and the wood.



(I tried moving some code around so now I can type next to these two bottom photos. I wish I knew HTML better.)

Then I added a thin layer of dirt over the branches, then straw and some alfalfa pellets. Then I watered the whole thing well.

The soil here has very little organic matter in it and it is very dry so the soak will hopefully help with composting the branches and the other layers.

Once I get the wooden frames built and add more layers I have the feeling that I may not be able to plant this year because it will be too late to plant and the beds may need a year to compost so they won't burn the plants.


There are three beds in this photo. The third bed has a layer of dirt over it so it doesn't show up in the photo.

It is supposed to rain Sunday and Monday which will be great for the beds and for the chicken pen. The chickens won't like the rain, but it will make digging out the chicken pen a lot easier.

The Buff gave up being broody after one day... or she is hiding out somewhere in the woods? The Australorp is still strutting around in the pen like a gorilla chicken clucking away.


(May 8, 2009)

[4 eggs today]

~:>
Smiles

11 comments:

Nancy K. said...

You're doing an awesome job with your garden beds! I'd like to try that too.

LindaG said...

Hope you find your Buff!
Good luck with the composting, too.

diane b said...

You have done a lot of work there with the beds, They should work well, shame you have to wait until next year to plant.

Gail said...

Happy Mother's Day.

Good job on the beds. I don't understand the sticks.

lisa said...

You are making great progress! Can't wait for the finished product!

JoyceAnn said...

Wow ~ Your garden beds look great , you've been busy. Guess I won't be sleeping in an egg bed anytime soon , that's a hefty price (LOL).

~ Wishing you a Wonderful Mother's Day ~

RoeH said...

Sometimes Bloggers gets a hitch in it's git-a-long and will not do something. Frustrating! I love all those garden beds. Perfect time of year, isn't it.

John Going Gently said...

very interesting process...
it is all news to me..I have never seen anything like your plans before

hope you are ok

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Thanks for response about the broody hens! I guess you can teach an "old dog" something new! :-) I'll be very interested in how all this turns out! With all the work you're doing, it sounds like you are feeling pretty good--I hope so Callie!! I also hope you've had an enjoyable day too!!

cottage garden farmer said...

This is interesting Callie, looks like pretty hard work, hope you're not overdoing things I know you've been unwell, take it easy!

Mike said...

Things are looking good. How big is your greenhouse? It looks huge. Also, that would be very sad if you couldn't plant this year. But I guess good things come to those who wait.