Spring Garden Plan 2015

After months of thinking about it, ordering seeds, ruminating on sun and shade, and changing things around several times, I've finally got a working plan for my spring planting.

First, I downloaded some graph paper and printed it out. Then I drew a very simple outline of the raised beds. Then I had Tom scan my drawing and save it for me, so I won't have to redraw it twice a year. My simple drawing does not include any of the fruit trees, bushes, vines, or canes; nor does it include the herbs in the spiral. It also doesn't show any perennial plantings or large trees. This is just a plan for the raised beds. So I will tell you that I am planning to put artichokes behind the chicken coop. No one walks around back there, and they can grow as large and pokey as they'd like.

So, here's the plan for this spring:

North Garden

South Garden

List of plant varieties

I've decided I have to call the two gardens something, as Tom and I kept saying "the garden near the coop" or "the garden by the shed." And North and South is where they are on our property. If you picture a long rectangle with North at the top (makes sense), our house is just between the North and South gardens. On the East side we have the Top Bar Hive, the asparagus patch, four small Chinese Pistache trees, a Toyon, a Manzanita, a California Buckeye, two blueberry bushes, a small strawberry patch, and a flowering currant (Ribes). On the West side of the property, everything is dominated by a large Brazilian Pepper tree, and there is dappled shade. That's where I planted the Woodland Garden, and also that's the front of our house. To the northwest is our driveway and a strip along it that is shaded by a Valley Oak, but each side of the strip gets shade at different times of the day. The side that gets morning sun has my original worm/compost bin, lemon verbena, spirea, a few old fashioned roses, the six new raspberry canes, some bog salvia and daffodils. The side that gets afternoon sun holds the herb spiral, checkerbloom, lavender, and some other things that I've forgotten the names of!

The South Garden is the one we started last winter. I used to garden on the East side, but the pistache trees got too large, so that's why we decided to sheet mulch the lawn and plant over in the South area. It gets plenty of sun and everything does fine there, but there is one large Chitalpa tree that provides just enough shade that I felt some things could have done even better, like melons. So that was the impetus for the North Garden, where it's all sun all the time. So vegetables who can take a little shade, like peas or potatoes, will go in the South Garden, and things like tomatoes and peppers will go in the North Garden.  There is one area of the South Garden that gets full sun all day, and so that will house the melons after garlic and shallots are harvested. That's also where the strawberry wall is, and the pollinator garden. The six new blueberries are also in the South Garden, in a spot that gets morning sun but afternoon shade, since it seems that's how blueberries like it in my garden.

I should also say that the fruit trees (apple, peach, fig) are on the borders of the North Garden. I'm hoping to add a dwarf lemon to a little area next to the house that gets part shade.

I'm excited to get planting, but first we need to build the raised beds in the North Garden. That's a project for Spring Break, which is (thankfully) coming up. First we have to finish the sprinkler project and the fence project.

We got a sprinkling of rain today, so I seeded more red clover into what is left of our lawn. There are several bare spots, and I won't mind more clover for both the bees and for it's tolerance of dryness.

The rain made the wildflowers on my walks today look wonderful.

Lupine

And a neighbor's ornamental apple tree is looking so gorgeous, I just want to live under it.

Breaking Ground

We've begun our Chicken Coop and Run project. Tom and I measured out an area in our back yard, raked the mulch back, and started digging (Tom has done most of the digging so far, bless him!). We need to create a foot-deep trench around the area of the coop. This trench will hold a foot of hardware cloth, to prevent predators digging under the run. We have plenty of raccoons, skunks, opossums, and even the stray coyote hanging around our neighborhood, and chickens would be an easy and tasty prey. (Recently there have been several Cougar sitings about a block from here, so that's a possibility too, I suppose.) You'd think they'd be satisfied with all the wild turkeys, but we hear horrifying stories of backyard chicken slaughter by predators. Our neighbors with ducks have had several grisly decapitations and use a lock and key on their run. We'll do the same. (Though I wouldn't put it past raccoons to figure out a key.)

We've laid out the tarps to capture the dirt, for several reasons. We'll need to backfill the trench with what we've taken out, and I also don't want the dirt mixing with the mulch. The tarps make everything easier and cleaner. When it rains, we can also fold over the tarps to protect the dirt from becoming mud.

This is the area that we sheet mulched during Thanksgiving break. Our excavation has provided us some clues about how this process is working. First of all, the grass is dead. Main goal, accomplished. The cardboard has not broken down at all, yet, and we've been digging through it, which adds an extra layer of pain to this chore. Then there's the clay underneath, which is hell itself.

Dead grass, cardboard, and the ubiquitous clods of clay

However, earthworms abound. Long and fat, they are everywhere here. They are attracted to the decaying grass, and the layer of compost above the cardboard. Also quite evident - layers of mycelium, the network of fungi that helps decompose all this organic matter. Things are cooking underground, which is good. 

Our plan is to finish the trench today, then dig the foundation piers next weekend and start framing the structure. We also have plans in the works for two new compost bins, made from pallets. I'll need a place to compost the sawdust/straw/chicken poop from the run, and these seem like a simple, inexpensive option.

It's fun to picture the coop, finished, with busy hens inside eating bugs and scraps from the garden, and several raised beds clustering around it, filled with summer produce. There's a lot of work to do, first.

Hoop Houses

Guest post by Tom today, talking about the latest construction project at Poppy Corners Farm – hoop houses!

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Elizabeth had planted some winter crops, and while we're able to grow things in winter, we wanted to protect them from the frost we often get, and maybe cut down on our deer losses somewhat. Enter hoop houses – lengths of floating row cover fabric stretched over a frame over the raised beds.

Construction of the frame was rather straightforward and pretty inexpensive to boot. I picked up 10' lengths of 3/8" rebar and 1/2" Schedule 40 PVC pipe. The frames needed two lengths of rebar and five length of PVC for each of our 4x8' raised beds.

Next, I used a hacksaw to cut the rebar into 2' lengths. You only need to cut the rebar about half-way through, then you can just bend at the cut and it'll break off nicely.

Use gloves – it'll leave sharp ends. You can buy the rebar in 2' lengths to begin with, but you can get one 10' length for about the price of two of the 2' lengths. I didn't mind using the hacksaw.

Starting at one corner of the raised bed and proceeding about every two feet, I hammered the lengths of rebar about two inches out from the raised beds, and about even with the top. Next, I slotted one end of the PVC pipe over one piece of rebar, then bent it over and slotted it over the rebar on the other side of the bed.

As you can see, the tops of the hoops are around 4' tall. I could have tried trimming off some of the length of the PVC pipe to get a shorter hoop, but I was a little concerned about how much stress that would put on the pipe and the rebar.

A little more sawing, pounding, and bending, and the frames were complete!

This is really starting to look like a farm.

Elizabeth then stretched the row cover fabric over the frames, securing them with binder clips.

The hoop houses should let enough sun through for things to keep growing, as well as raise the temperature underneath several degrees. It should let rain through as well.

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Elizabeth here. I'm very pleased with this project, and had several neighbors stop and talk about it and how it might help with frost and deer. I am so happy that folks are interested in what we do here. There's a group of older ladies who walk by every so often, and one of them found me in the yard yesterday and offered me her 1916 copy of "The ABC and XYZ of Beekeeping," a still relevant and necessary book for beekeepers today. I was so touched. She said she wanted me to have it because she admires me! I was extremely proud and grateful.

I spent some quality time yesterday moving cardboard and mulch to a spot in the front yard that used to be grass, but now is mostly used as a path to get to the side yard, and so is quite muddy. I sheet mulched it as usual, without the layer of compost; I figure I don't really need to improve the soil here, since it will just mainly see foot traffic (although even cardboard and mulch will add a significant amount of organic matter). I put a fairly thick layer (6") of wood chips on top of the cardboard, because we've seen now from experience that it all compacts rather a lot as it decomposes.

Today I started on the back yard. I didn't get very far; we need a whole lot more cardboard. I'm always amazed how much this process requires, and also pleased at the amount of material we can take out of the waste stream and decompose here, naturally. So, I will have to go dumpster diving to find more. I did this before at a local recycling place, which has since closed! argh! But I got a lead on a dumpster behind a Rite Aid... I just realized how crazy that last sentence sounds. I'm getting nuttier by the minute!

Happy Thanksgiving, all, and Happy Gardening!

Let the sheet mulching begin.... again!

Here we are with a glorious week ahead of us. No school, no work, only a few rehearsals and performances, one important birthday (my mom's), one important holiday that involves a lot of cooking, but mostly.... blissfully empty. For us, this means only one thing: playing the new Kingdom Rush game! Well, okay, that.... and yard improvements!

This past week, a tree company delivered me a load (maybe eight cubic yards) of pine mulch, free. Then I ordered three cubic yards of organic compost from Sloat's Garden in Danville, which is the most expensive part of the process - that runs about $160 including delivery. I've been collecting cardboard boxes for several weeks now (thank you friends and family!), and we are ready for some sheet mulching!

Here's the section of yard we plan to SM (sheet mulch). A play structure used to live here, and the trampoline is very happy here now, and still gets a lot of use - but one of the legs is broken. It has very little time left on this earth. (This tramp has a nice story, actually. It belonged to the kids across the street, who then sold it to the kids around the corner, who then sold it to us. It's had quite a life and a ton of use, so it has really served its purpose quite well. Oh, and our old play structure? Given to us as a gift by Tom's family when Adam was diagnosed with leukemia and had compromised immunity, it lived happily in this space for many years and was a magnet for the neighborhood kids. A nice young man with a two year old came and dismantled it and transported it to his yard, for his son to play on. This is the best kind of recycling!)

We stopped watering the grass in this area when drought hit, so it's looking pretty grim, though with our recent rains, it's greening up. There's little actual grass, lots of a very tenacious crabby sort of thing, another kind of weed that spreads by sending out tendrils and putting down new roots (vicious stuff), bindweed (or jimson weed) which is just terrible; in other words a smorgasbord of awful weeds. But the SM, if we do it right, should smother all of it. That is the beautiful thing about this process. Several times this past summer, if I saw an area of weeds I wanted to control, in any part of my garden, I'd put down a piece of cardboard or burlap, and cover it with organic matter. I have a pile of horse manure six inches deep over old burlap bags under the peach tree, because the weeds had gotten so bad there. So far, so good - no regrowth.

The only place I have trouble removing weeds is when they are in concrete - such as in the cracks of our patio, or the cracks in our driveway. You can't SM there! Most of the weeds die in the heat and dry of our summer, but in winter they are prolific, and I don't want them to set seed. I constantly weed by hand, but if that doesn't work, I will boil water and pour it on. Other times I will go out in the dark of night and spot treat with herbicide. In that case I use as little as possible, and only after dark when the bees are in the hive for the night. But I haven't had to do that in a long time. Boiling water really helps, especially if you add liquid soap to the mix.

Back to SM! This back area is also where our fruit trees are. I had the quince removed, but we still have an apple tree, as well as the peach.

We also have a tiny fig tree, which is hidden by the trampoline in the photos. I'd like to put in a sweet cherry where the quince was. The trampoline will stay here on the SM until spring, or until it gives up the ghost, whichever comes first, and then we'll build more raised beds. Probably six of them. I think this will be where the tomatoes, peppers, and melons will be planted, as this area gets more sun than any other part of the yard.

Truck dumping compost, next to the mulch mound

The most finicky part of the SM process is removing all tape and labels from the boxes, as those won't decompose like the cardboard will. I spent several hours today removing tape. The stuff Amazon uses is the devil itself - it has threads in it, so it comes apart when you try to remove it. ARGH! The plastic stuff at least comes off in one long strip! Amazon, if you're reading this, you need to change your tape for the .0001% of your customer base who sheet mulches!!!!

The boxes also need to be cut so that they lay flat. Once that's done, it's just a matter of moving materials. That's a job, and a blog, for later this week.

Tomorrow, I head out to the farm for our pastured turkey. I'll report on that experience, as well as my turkey prep, as I'm trying something new.

I'm enjoying the leaves on my walks.

 Mushrooms are enjoying our recently wet earth, and popping up all over the place. These tiny yellow beauties are in our yard:

I spread red clover seeds all over the one remaining area of grass in our yard, and they are going gangbusters.

I'm hoping they bloom over our mild winter, and provide forage for the bees.

Speaking of the bees, both Tom and I have noticed a strange thing on the landing board of the hive. Every so often, maybe 5 times in the last month, there's a white dead thing there. Here's a picture of it.

I think it's dead larvae. But why is there dead larvae on the landing board? I did some searching around, and there are several explanations. One, there's mites or disease in the hive. The last time we opened it, though, everything looked great, no sign of anything amiss. Another reason could be the sudden change in temperature. It might be that this particular patch of brood got chilled and therefore isn't viable, or for some reason just stopped developing. The bees might also be culling larvae for some reason. Whatever it is, I'll need to keep an eye on the hive for the next few weeks. The bees are flying in and out as normal, whenever it gets over 50 degrees outside. They seem to be bringing in pollen and nectar. I'm anxious about this new development, but not overly so.

Yum, Tom's making a Jamie Oliver recipe of Thai spiced rice noodles with chicken, butternut squash, and broccoli, and it smells amazing. I'm off to dinner!

True Autumn

Well, it really is true autumn around here now, even with mild, sunny days. The nights are chilly and we've had some rain, here's hoping for more! The leaves are falling in earnest and Thanksgiving plans are in the works. I think I've finally found our pastured, heritage turkey, which will be killed on the farm the weekend before we need it. Pastured turkey is not cheap - $7/lb., but worth it in so many ways. I am anxious to try a dry brine on the bird.

Let's see, what's been happening at Poppy Corners? Last weekend we had some family friends over. The kids and I went around the neighborhood and collected fall leaves and seedpods, anything interesting we could find. Then we sat outside in the sunshine and each painted a watercolor of what we found. One of these is mine, two are from my kids, and two are from the other kids, all 6th and 7th graders. This was a fun experiment! We all look at the same things differently.

Adam has been in Opera mode all week, which will continue until December 7. Last night was opening night. It's been really fun for me to hang out backstage and geek out on the action. Here's a synopsis of Act II, which is when Adam is involved.

A great crowd, including children, has gathered with street sellers announcing their wares (chorus: Aranci, datteri! Caldi i marroni! – "Oranges, dates! Hot chestnuts!"). The friends arrive; Rodolfo buys Mimì a bonnet from a vendor, while Colline buys a coat and Schaunard a horn. Parisians gossip with friends and bargain with the vendors; the children of the streets clamor to see the wares of Parpignol, the toy seller.

After the kids follow Parpignol off stage, a marching band assembles backstage (!) and starts playing, then they march on stage and the kids follow them, party party party, and that's the end of Act II. The kids rush to shed costumes and makeup during the interval, becoming 21st century boys once again.

Yesterday, in between performances, Adam, chorister and friend Alex, and I went to a local artisan chocolate shop in the Mission called Dandelion. We've been there before for a private tour, and they are just incredible, sourcing chocolate from all different parts of the world and making it into 70% bars the old fashioned way, roasting and mixing and adding only sugar. We bought several bars with beans sourced from Liberia, where they are teaching former child soldiers how to farm cacao. Delicious, and for a good cause. I thought you'd get a kick out of the bathroom trash cans. This is San Francisco in a nutshell.

If you get a chance to look at Dandelion's website (just click on the link I provided above), there's an interesting blog post on the history of chocolate. Check it out!

We also spent a little time at Ocean Beach, right at sunset. There were plenty of kite boarders and people building bonfires on the beach. This is also San Francisco in a nutshell, foggy and beautiful.

After some games of tag, it was time to head back to the theater for another performance.

I've loved the whole experience: Listening to the leads warm up in their dressing rooms, chatting with the dressers as they work with the kids, sharing winks with the adult chorus backstage, learning the lingo of the Opera (the singers say 'toi toi toi' to each other, for luck), watching the leads come and go off stage, and of course listening to the great score by Puccini.

War Memorial Opera House, home of the San Francisco Opera

It's also a lot of time and energy, though, and that means that I'm too tired to do much work in the garden.  While I was looking the other way, the vegetable seeds germinated. Every time I plant a seed, I think to myself, "There's no way this is going to grow." But then they always do! It's like magic, isn't it? It's amazing that something so small has all that potential. Nature is always miraculous.

I refreshed the herb spiral/hugelkultur with new herb starts. I use fresh herbs in everything, so it's very worth it to keep the spiral producing. I added more chives, oregano, thyme, tarragon, parsley, marjoram, and sage, along with some chicken manure and compost. The mint, lavender, and sorrel are all going gangbusters (no surprise there) so they did not need refreshing. My rosemary is in a separate pot and is doing fine. Most herbs are perennial, so if I can protect them from frost, they'll last. The thing that I find a bit confounding about this arrangement is that it is decomposing in place - the hill keeps getting smaller - and I have to keep adding dirt. Meanwhile, a quick check on the wood that is forming the base of this hugelkultur shows that it hasn't decomposed at all, neither has the sawdust I put under there. Maybe I layered everything the wrong way. Anyhow, the herbs do fine here, as long as I give them extra dirt when needed.

Our list of projects for Thanksgiving week is growing. We're planning to build hoops over each bed, then place a row cover over those, to deter deer. We are also going to sheet mulch the other side of our property, where we've had various kid things for years - play structure, then trampoline. We'll mulch it to get rid of the 'grass' (mostly dead, as we didn't water over the summer), and then build more raised beds. I'd like to plant several manzanitas and a cherry tree in various parts of the yard. I also have a lot of trimming to do.

Hiking with the dog has been fun, sometimes muddy. November brings dramatic skies, with contrasts in bleak and glorious. The hills are not yet green, but there is potential for that, and soon.

A valley oak, perfectly situated in its surroundings