THE U-Pick GARDEN will be closing August 20th. This will be the last year the garden will be open to the public. Next year I'll be operating as a CSA, supplying about 20 regular customers with weekly boxes. Thank you for your support over the last 8 years, but it's time to try something new.

To get a copy of my book, "How To Grow Vegetables In Sitka, Alaska" just give me a call....The books are $20 plus tax. If you live out of town and want me to mail you a copy, you can mail a check for $25.60 to:

Lori Adams
P O Box 6021
Sitka, Alaska
99835


Down To Earth U-Pick Garden is located at 2103 Sawmill Creek Road in Sitka, Alaska. It is open usually from mid-June through late August. Hours are Monday-Saturday 12:00 to 6:30. On Farmer's Market Saturdays I am not open until 2:00. Children are welcome but may not run through the garden or chase the ducks. If you have any questions you can contact me, Lori Adams, at 907-747-6108 or 907-738-2241. My email address is downtoearthupick@gmail.com

Friday, March 28, 2014

"The Right Tool For The Job", That's What I Always Say. -Red Green

The weather has been very agreeable lately, and it's almost April, so I decided to open up one of my beds. This particular bed had plastic covering it all winter....


As a rule I don't cover my beds, but I do like to cover the bed that is going to have Lettuce and Spinach in it the next year....I like lots of nitrogen for those particular crops and the plastic keeps the nutrients from leaching out with the rain. It didn't take long for the herd to notice that fresh dirt was being uncovered. I went to the shed to get the rototiller and BAM!!....they were in the bed working away!


This is what the soil looked like before I tilled...


As I made several passes with the tiller the ducks would move out of my way, but as soon as I would pass them they waded right back in for the goodies....



 Look how industriously they work...


Now, I've discovered something that during the past few years....you can have all the proper tools in your possession, but if you do not use them properly they don't do you any good. For instance, I have ducks, I have a rototiller, and I have beds full of wonderful soil, but I have not always used them properly.  Last year I didn't till because my soil was so lofty and loose and I ended up with quite a bit of pest damage later in the season. I guess the duck's bills don't reach down far enough to get everything.  The year before that I tilled all the beds, one right after the other, during the course of about a week. They ducks loved it, but they didn't spread out enough to get all the pests. This year I hope I have it right....
I'm going to till one bed and let the ducks work it over really well. Then in a day or two I will work it up again. After they lose interest in the first bed I will till up a second bed, and so on, and so on, and so on.

Hopefully this process will eliminate even more slugs and slug eggs than ever!   Go ducks!!!!
Posted by at

3 comments:

  1. melissaMarch 29, 2014 at 6:38 AM

    What helpful little ducks you have!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KelleyMarch 29, 2014 at 4:01 PM

    I don't know that 'Go ducks' is the proper statement. Perhaps you should try 'Go Mallards!'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LoriMarch 29, 2014 at 8:42 PM

      Ha Ha!! I was just trying to beat my dad to it!

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)