Tomato Preparation
I planted these legumes in November. They're a mix of woolypod and purple vetch, Bio Master Peas, Bell Beans, and Cayuse Oat seeds. Just before that, I spread fish bone meal, kelp meal and guano over the bed before turning the soil.
After I turned the soil, I broadcast-ed the seeds, raked them a bit to try to cover most of them, and tried to keep the surface damp for a week or so, until they set down roots. I've ignored them since then.
On 13 March, I chopped them with my hedge trimmer, spread 150 lbs. (about 2 lbs. per square foot of bed surface) of Alfalfa Meal over the top, and dug it all well into the soil.
I left the drip system on for about 5 hours, until the bed was thoroughly saturated, and covered it tightly with 6 mil. plastic sheeting,
Today, 15 Mar., 48 hrs. later, the temp of the soil is 120 F. It will easily reach and exceed 140 F. over the next few days. That will kill any possible diseases that might be in the soil.
Around the end of April, I'll remove the plastic and let the soil cool down to about 80 F. I'll turn the soil once more, and I won't find but a few traces of legumes, or anything else other than incredibly rich soil.
About the 1 of May, or a week before, I'll lay in my Tomatoes and hope for a warmer summer this year, than our record cold last summer!
After I turned the soil, I broadcast-ed the seeds, raked them a bit to try to cover most of them, and tried to keep the surface damp for a week or so, until they set down roots. I've ignored them since then.
On 13 March, I chopped them with my hedge trimmer, spread 150 lbs. (about 2 lbs. per square foot of bed surface) of Alfalfa Meal over the top, and dug it all well into the soil.
I left the drip system on for about 5 hours, until the bed was thoroughly saturated, and covered it tightly with 6 mil. plastic sheeting,
Today, 15 Mar., 48 hrs. later, the temp of the soil is 120 F. It will easily reach and exceed 140 F. over the next few days. That will kill any possible diseases that might be in the soil.
Around the end of April, I'll remove the plastic and let the soil cool down to about 80 F. I'll turn the soil once more, and I won't find but a few traces of legumes, or anything else other than incredibly rich soil.
About the 1 of May, or a week before, I'll lay in my Tomatoes and hope for a warmer summer this year, than our record cold last summer!
