Monday, January 6, 2014

FOCUS in ACTION

Day 6 and I'm still FOCUSing. So far so good.

Mother Nature has blessed so many of us with frigid temperatures. I know she has a purpose and I'm waiting with bated breath for spring. A normal January here in the south eastern Ozarks would have me prepping seed trays out in the greenhouse. The one we had to recover this year after having put the wrong plastic (non-uv protected) the first time. Ice tried to destroy the pvc structure back in December but so far so good. Now if I could just get out there to play.

In the mean time I bought a small bag of potting soil. I have 2 pineapple tops to plant. My the time they are well rooted this fall, I can move them into the house without fear of the cats chewing on them - maybe. Can you tell I'm ready for spring?


I bought a new book a couple weeks ago. A new form of gardening that has piqued my interest considering I have clay and rock to plant in. Straw Bale Gardens works with the concept of planting above ground in straw bales. Very little soil is used. Only from the seedling you plant or to spread on top  if you plant to start from seed. I'm thinking that as the bales compost down (2 years, maybe?) they will provide excellent compost layering in a lasagna garden method. I'm currently weighing the cost and I think the straw is winning. Even at $5 per bale, if I get 2 years use out of planting, that's cheaper than top soil mixes to improve the rocky/ clay ground I have to work with. Also creates a 'raised bed' so I have less reason to be down on my knees and jabbing myself with a pointy rock. Are you seeing a pattern here?

I can see several of these positioned in a wheel or pentagram shape for my herbs.
Your thoughts?

Blessings
~Rain



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