i love his book, and have incorporated a couple of things for now. when i get my greenhouse built, i can do more. well, when my hand heals, greenhouse or no, i WIL be doing more of what he recommends.
tf
The Ruth Stout Method
I intend to use Coleman's 4 season plans when I get re-settled.
anychance you might settle for Fritch?
Sorry, the mountains (Appalachians) call me.
:-P~
I've been inspired by Eliot Coleman to over-winter lettuces and parsley in my unheated greenhouse. I didn't read it in time to sow anything else, but have made early sowings this year of more lettuce, spinach, spicy salad mix (with mostly oriental greens), radish, beetroot, bunching onions and carrots in the greenhouse borders - kept under fleece on cold days. We've been picking lettuce and radishes for a few weeks now and the salad mix was ready in just over a month. I am trying to remember to keep sowing small amounts of all the salad plants and have made a note of when to sow his suggestions for over-wintering as I would probably not think of sowing much in late summer/early autumn.
It makes much better use of the greenhouse before the melons, cucumber, tomato, aubergine and peppers etc. We can't plant these much before mid-May in an unheated greenhouse as we can get frost until the end of May here.
Your comments about mulches are interesting. They are great for supressing weeds and keeping the soil moist, but are terrible for harbouring slugs. We are told never to put a thick mulch on cold ground but to add it while the soil is still warm so it keeps the cold out rather than in. It is good for protecting fairly tender plants from frost if applied while there is still warmth in the soil. And the worms eventually work it into the soil.
I do dig some areas of garden as well, just to aerate them and stop compaction as my soil has patches of heavy clay, but the mulches certainly improve the soil structure over a couple of years.
Thanks for the info, Pat. I have his book, and a new property soon where we can try them out.
oh, cool, a new property? fill me in...
Tam, check it out here
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/601652/