Tuesday 22 April 2008

Hurray warm weather, could this be spring?

The temperature has risen at last, the soil is drying out nicely, the morning was spent with a local grower Mick who has just started up a five acre organic vegetable unit near Knighton , he left with module trays, pots, carry trays and a gun for his rabbit problem.
This afternoon will be laying maize starch mulch, which looks very much like a black polythene sheet, we lay it using a traditional poly layer on the tractor. We plant modules through it by hand this gives us weed free growth until late summer but also conserves moisture in the soil. It is important to get the timing right, laying it when it is dry enough to take the weight of the tractor but before the soil dries out too much and looses soil moisture. Once the mulch is laid we sow white clover in the pathways to prevent weed growth and soil erosion.

No comments: