Permaculture Experiments

Got out my new soil testing PH strips and tested some soil before planting strawberries. Soil testing involves mixing 1 part soil with 4 parts water, waiting 20 minutes, and then testing the water. According to the results, the soil was already acidic enough to support the strawberries. In the coming days, I will start PH testing more soil and doing proper soil science. We will also look at our soil under a microscope, and do tests for clay content.

Started clearing grasses and sheet mulch within 5 ft zone of the S, SW sides of the house as a defense against wildfire. This will be a multi-day project of salvaging materials from a pile in the southeast corner.

In the shaded area by the pumphouse and tool shed, I've made a little garden for growing plants that don't mind a little shade or need protection. I made a little makeshift barrier of branches, although I'll eventually try to make something more effective.

Got an exceptionally big haul of compost from the food bank today. It took a lot of effort to process, but worth it. Perfect for my hugelculture mounds!

One of the peppers is growing more excellently than the other two, but all are alive so far. The tomatoes, which I started much later, are sprouted. Sean's cabbage is doing great as well as an avocado. I'm planning to use the kale as microgreens.

The Master Gardeners host free classes at a nearby library. I attended and learned a lot about how to map out and work with the microclimates on our property. I synthesized my findings into this microclimate checklist.

Spending many days clearing the tumbleweed accumulation along the east fence and invasive barley and mustard grass. The tumbleweeds I'm burning in my cone pit and the barley and mustard tees are being fermented into compost tea.

Sean and I have been laying cardboard in the cleared areas. Plan to pick up mulch next time we visit the permaculture course. The idea is to smother the remaining weed seeds under 6–8 inches of mulch and let the cardboard decompose in place over the season.

Started several pepper varieties under lights. At 4,700 ft the last frost date is around May 15 but I've seen frost into early June, so I'm targeting mid-to-late May for outdoor transplant with row cover on standby.

Hardening off will begin about two weeks before transplant — starting with 1–2 hours of outdoor shade and working up. High-altitude sun is brutal even in spring; UV intensity here can sunburn seedlings faster than at lower elevation.

Planted a pea in one of Sean's self-watering RepRap chinampas. Look forward to seeing how tall it grows while we are in Japan.

Dug a 3ft ditch and filled it with branches, grass clippings, compost, sod, and native soil. Then planted a soil building blend of oats and peas on top.