2023-02-26: Planting Things and Planning Things

Sunday, February 26, 2023

High: 77.6
Low: 46.0
Mostly Cloudy

Observations
  • Bagged compost and soil at Lowe's are much cheaper than at nurseries
  • The unprotected Chicago Hardy tree in the front had some moisture damage at the base, where the woodchips were covering it
  • Leaf buds tend to start lower near the base of the tree. I've noticed this with figs and the mulberry in the front. It is warmer there because it's closer to the earth and there is less wind chill, and it might get extra protection from mulch.
  • Peach, plum, and nectarine flowers are appearing before any of the green leaves. Today I learned that this is known as "precocious flowering".
  • Comfrey roots are thick!
Tasks
  • Broadcasted some high nitrogen lawn fertilizer around all areas where wood chips are laid. This was inspired by a recommendation from D. I learned that microorganisms need nitrogen to break down the carbon in the woodchips into simple sugars. Nitrogen is abundant in grass and green material, but woodchips are mostly carbon and lack enough nitrogen for the microorganisms to break it down. So this additional high nitrogen fertilizer is an effort to feed the microorganisms with nitrogen so they can break down the woodchips.
  • Formed 12" rows, spaced 3' apart in the south bed. Getting ready to plant the peas soon.
  • Pulled some "weeds" -- Buttercup and Bermuda grass. There are some "wild lettuces" that I have decided to leave alone, as well as a lot of wild onions which I think are forming bulbs underground.
  • Planted three trees in the comfrey patch, in a triangular shape: Sherwood Jujube, Olympian fig, and "Mystery X" fig, which I am pretty sure is Celeste. The Olympian and Celeste were in 15G pots and bush-shaped and I've been planning to put the in the ground this year. I think it's a nice spot for them, but not the best spot when it comes to the amount of sunshine.
  • Stapled the greenhouse plastic cover on the raised bed that I messed up.
  • Planted five rows of veggies from seed in that covered raised bed: winter giant spinach, baby leaf spinach, cilantro, rainbow chard, and arugula.
  • Put foam tape on the remaining raised beds that have been covered (to close the gaps).
  • Cleaned up the area near the house -- Put PVC, and chicken wire in the crawl space.
  • Washed and inserted 10 Euclid cuttings in tree pots in the greenhouse.
Tomorrow:
  • Go to the Weaverville municipal building to acquire some leaf compost.
  • Water the greenhouse figs (if needed)
  • Water veggie seeds in the raised bed and check the soil temperature

Dwarf everbearing mulberry showing life

Chicago Hardy (unprotected) rot at the base

Japanese plum


Planted three trees in the comfrey patch

Comfrey roots


Comfrey patch with three new trees that you can hardly see


1 Cu Ft of mushroom compost for less than $3, too.

Nitrogen fertilizer for the microorganisms








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