Sky over earth. Just now

Garden and sky from Melanie's perch.

Cell trays

This year we're trying cell trays instead of pressing 2" soil blocks for seedlings.  We use 72-cell and 128-cell trays; the photo is of J-M. Fortier's use assignments.

So far so go.  Trays are easier to fill, move, and keep moist.  Extraction has been a bit messy so trying different tools.  One soil adjustment planned is a finer perlite.  We're learning.

I miss you guys

Every morning I write a haibun (Japanese form of prose plus haiku).  Here is yesterday's:

Spring Gardening

On Saturdays past I helped cook and serve food to hungry gardeners, our community time.  We often stretched the hour with stories and laughter.

Today, Corona Virus sits alone at the table.

masks and gloves

no food allowed

measured intimacy

-Janet

Harvest before snow

Friday's harvest before first snows this weekend.  Warm colors for cold conditions!

Shishito pepper sauté recipe

Here's the shishito pepper sauté recipe used for our Saturday demo. Simple and tasty. Everyone loved them.

Pests & Management

We use some of the IPM methods mentioned in the article and a few others.

https://www.rainshadoworganics.com/integrated-pest-management-at-rainshadow/ 

Our pest challenges are 1) cut worms in brassicas, 2) aphids in kales, 3) flea beetles in chinese cabbage, pac choi and mizuna, 4) leaf miners in spinach, chard, beets, 5) birds in young lettuce or spinach 6) cabbage moths.

We employ crop rotation, natural fertilizers & compost, toothpick rings, wait to outgrow, bird net, neem oil, marigolds, hose blasting, and hand smashing.

Book Recommendations

Here are 3 books recommended by C. Campbell.  His wisdom has helped our orchard.

Growing a Revolution:  Bringing Our Soil Back to Life
by David R. Montgomery

The Hidden Life of Trees:  What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World

by Peter Wohllenben

What a Plant Knows:  A Field Guide to the Senses of Your Garden—and Beyond

by Daniel Chamovitz