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[Smart Red]

Remember, Bee, that beet 'seeds' are actually a cluster of seeds so while taping them will save some work thinning later, you will still have bundles of beet seedlings coming up.

 

[henless]

Bee sounds like you've been super busy! I like how your making a tape out of all those small seeds. I may give it a try for my garden next year.

Not much happening here garden wise. Well, I did notice that my 2 blueberry bushes are starting to bud! I would post a pic of my small orchard, but not sure how? Do I need to put the pics somewhere and then post them? I have an old photobucket account. I can put them there then put here, just not sure what I need to do.

I've been busy at work these last couple of weeks. Valentines is one of our biggest holidays, so we usually burn the midnight oil getting everything done. I'm a florist and work with my mom & daughter. This doesn't leave much time to do much around the house. I did get in my incubator and plan on putting some eggs on for an Easter hatch. That should be fun!

Planting is just around the corner. I hope my bte garden has set long enough this year.

 

[Nyboy]

Please post photos of your orchard

 

[Beekissed]

Remember, Bee, that beet 'seeds' are actually a cluster of seeds so while taping them will save some work thinning later, you will still have bundles of beet seedlings coming up.

That's my desired result, Red! I don't particularly care for beets, but I do care for adding the tops to my salads, so keeping them in clusters so that the top develops but the bottoms do not is what I'm wanting. I've never planted them before, but read up on how to harvest just the tops and they said to plant close enough that they need to be thinned but don't thin them and you'll get tops with very little bottoms.

 

[Beekissed]

I hope my bte garden has set long enough this year.

Henless, I hope so too! I keep checking underneath the covering to see how things are progressing...it's looking blacker under there, much more worms present, the original soil remains loose enough to insert a finger and I hope that stays that way....usually it's as hard as a rock.

I'm buying some soil testing strips so that I'll know for certain which minerals are sufficient, which are in deficit, and the pH level of it all.

Yesterday I did a little pawing around on the garden, saw good, strong sprouts on each of the potatoes, couldn't find my rhubarb but I'm sure it will make an appearance soon. Couldn't find my chives at all, hope they survived being covered all winter. Saw lots and lots of large worms under there.

 

[ninnymary]

Bee, I'm getting a little discouraged with my BTE. No worms and leaves are still pretty much intact. I think my soil is a little sandy for my tastes. But stuff has grown in the past. I figured if nothing else, I'm back to where I started. But all the goodies have to eventually make a difference.

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, I'm getting a little discouraged with my BTE. No worms and leaves are still pretty much intact. I think my soil is a little sandy for my tastes. But stuff has grown in the past. I figured if nothing else, I'm back to where I started. But all the goodies have to eventually make a difference.

Mary

As with all things garden, I expect it takes patience and time to realize the full effects of the BTE method, though you didn't exactly do the BTE wood chip method so your results may vary, I'm thinking?

I'm thinking mine will too, as I added the unknown quantity of the leaves and don't know how they will affect the general break down time of the material. As the wood chip tends to let in plenty of air to encourage the composting action, a layer of tightly matted leaves may not afford the same air exchange, so I'm thinking of running the tiller through my nearly 2 ft of leaf matter to break them up and let air into the mass. I won't disturb the chip layer but the leaves need a fluffing for sure. Hope I don't cut up any worms while I'm doing it.

 

[ninnymary]

Bee, I did use wood chips. Did wood chips, horse manure, and then leaves on top. Was I supposed to have done it differently?

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, I did use wood chips. Did wood chips, horse manure, and then leaves on top. Was I supposed to have done it differently?

Mary

Nope...I just hadn't remembered that you used the chips and you only mentioned the leaves in your last post. I have some trouble remembering things, so please forgive? The leaves on top bit is what you and I have in common and which may just slew the results a tad.

 

[ninnymary]

I got lucky, the local nursery has wood chips for free where the city dumps them from trees they trim.

Mary