Preparing the soil for next years season ?

Hi folks,
I'll be heading into my second season-for the first time!
Before the first season began, I double dug the virgin ground, digging in the amendments (lime, sand, gravel, blood, bone and seaweed meal) and well ripened manure (donkey, horse, and chicken) along with some EM cultures (through a product developed as Bacteriosol) , I also top dressed during the season with Bacteriosol.

Looking ahead into the new season, I intend to leave the roots in the soil, and top dress, rather than double dig.
I intend to top dress with the same amendments (maybe with some biochar as well) and manures, topped with straw and then seaweed, cover and leave for the winter to compost down a little with some EM culture.

What do those in the no dig world think of this approach? I am new to no-dig and would be interested to hear your opinions.

This season, I had no allowed my plants enough space each, so this year I will be repeating last years process to the virgin ground as well to add some more space.

biochar and top mulch with two inches of chopped leaf material.

Have you introduced a cover crop or some source of roots so your myco (not to be overlooked either, didnt notice them mentioned) can flourish meanwhile, or do you plan on sprinkling your roots instead with them next year? (also mighty fine, just a bit less proactive)

And are you making any castings?

DonTesla said:

Have you introduced a cover crop or some source of roots so your myco (not to be overlooked either, didnt notice them mentioned) can flourish meanwhile, or do you plan on sprinkling your roots instead with them next year? (also mighty fine, just a bit less proactive)

And are you making any castings?

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I was intending to cover the plot with tarp over the winter to let the top dressing ripen some and encourage worms, then inoculate the seeds for germination and add inoculant on transplanting.

I could plant a cover crop (what do you suggest?), but it seems like it'll be a bit of a rush to get all the top dressing done and start and tend to a winter cover crop.

ANC:
Unfortunately I don't have access to much leaves for mulch, certainly not enough raked off my property to supply my needs, what would you suggest for an alternative?

rockethoe said:

I was intending to cover the plot with tarp over the winter to let the top dressing ripen some and encourage worms, then inoculate the seeds for germination and add inoculant on transplanting.

I could plant a cover crop (what do you suggest?), but it seems like it'll be a bit of a rush to get all the top dressing done and start and tend to a winter cover crop.

ANC:
Unfortunately I don't have access to much leaves for mulch, certainly not enough raked off my property to supply my needs, what would you suggest for an alternative?

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A tarp might encourage anaerobes, but would suffice if need be. I would try just put down a nice 3 or 4 inch thick mulch if I could.. which would encourage worms as well as build humus and fungals, then one could let the seedlings / cover crop grow up through it.

If you can't find more leaves off site, more straw could work. An old bale goes quite a long way.

For covers, white clover is common, but I have done garlic, winter greens, different lettuces, you could even grow a special type of grass that accumulates and attracts myco right through the air..
of course, if none of this is convenient, then I would just sprinkle myco on all my root balls come spring/summer, not trying to make things harder, only easier! The cover crop and myco application would just save work come spring and summer, thats all, plus perhaps provide more compost and veggies etc.

DonTesla said:

A tarp might encourage anaerobes, but would suffice if need be. I would try just put down a nice 3 or 4 inch thick mulch if I could.. which would encourage worms as well as build humus and fungals, then one could let the seedlings / cover crop grow up through it.

If you can't find more leaves off site, more straw could work. An old bale goes quite a long way.

For covers, white clover is common, but I have done garlic, winter greens, different lettuces, you could even grow a special type of grass that accumulates and attracts myco right through the air..
of course, if none of this is convenient, then I would just sprinkle myco on all my root balls come spring/summer, not trying to make things harder, only easier! The cover crop and myco application would just save work come spring and summer, thats all, plus perhaps provide more compost and veggies etc.

Click to expand...

I started gathering leaves/debri from a hardwood forest, and saving in a separate pile on my property today. looks like I probably will have enough after all, maybe combined with some straw. will a cover crop grow directly in the mulch? seems like it might be a bit loose for clover etc to grow in.

rockethoe said:

I was intending to cover the plot with tarp over the winter to let the top dressing ripen some and encourage worms, then inoculate the seeds for germination and add inoculant on transplanting.

I could plant a cover crop (what do you suggest?), but it seems like it'll be a bit of a rush to get all the top dressing done and start and tend to a winter cover crop.

ANC:
Unfortunately I don't have access to much leaves for mulch, certainly not enough raked off my property to supply my needs, what would you suggest for an alternative?

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Ask your neighbors? take a bag and a rake and hit a park?

rockethoe said:

I started gathering leaves/debri from a hardwood forest, and saving in a separate pile on my property today. looks like I probably will have enough after all, maybe combined with some straw. will a cover crop grow directly in the mulch? seems like it might be a bit loose for clover etc to grow in.

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Garlic and peas can pierce right through a few inches of rock and sand, but shorter things like clove and 2" thyme, could be a bit short to grow through a thick mulch, however, they may be able to grow in the mulch if it has a bit of castings and soil mixed into it, quite easily.


Glad you found some more leaves! May want to shred them to get some air out and speed up the decomposition process by a good a year.

Subbed up, sounds like what I’m planning to do, where did you source your soil amendments ?

Dlowsky said:

Subbed up, sounds like what I’m planning to do, where did you source your soil amendments ?

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Mostly from my local garden centre, they had almost everything including EM cultures. I also have some organic chicken pellets and well aged horse manure.