Re: [CH] spacing for plants
Dave Sacerdote (davesas@tiac.net)
Thu, 4 Feb 1999 23:55:45 -0500 (EST)
>Actually, John Jeavons recommends having the leaves of your plants - all
>plants - touch at maturity.
>
>This helps to keep the soil moist, and holds down weeds - creating, as
>he calls it, your own micro-climate.
I like gardening, but basically I am a lazy bastard and hate weeding.
Every fall, after the real growing season is done, I plant clover and
alfalfa on my garden. In the spring, as soon as the soil can be worked,
I rototill this "green manure" into the ground. I add lots of compost
from my compost heap, and horse and cow manure, and rototill once a week
until early in May.
Then I cover my entire garden - every last square inch - in landscaper's
black plastic - the stuff with the tiny holes that let water in.
By the last Saturday in May (or perhaps a week earlier if I feel lucky)
the soil is very warm from basking in the sun and very moist from being
under the plastic. I cut "X"s into the plastic and set my plants (most
of which I start in my hoophouse around March 17.)
I am convinced that keeping the plant roots warm and toasty has been the
secret behind the incredible yields I get every year. My peppers often
grow to over 3 feet tall and last year I had red savinas like grapes on
a vine. I was harvesting peppers, tomatoes, and even eggplant well into
November this year (although we did have an unusually warm autumn this
year, my plants always survive well past the first couple of frosts
because of the black plastic.)
So: I agree about holding the weeds down, and the "microclimate" stuff.
I just go about it differently. <g>
===
Dave Sacerdote
davesas@tiac.net
Resist or Serve.
"I am so mighty, I do not have to kill you all." -- Flaming Carrot
Visit Dave's New England Almanac: http://www.tiac.net/users/davesas