Emily Byars

Hi! I'm really looking forward to reading all the posts this week.

My question is regarding polytunnels and greenhouses. I live in zone 7 on the border between A and B, and I am considering building a polytunnel. However, our growing season is quite long already and I'm not sure if it would be an unnecessary expense. In my climate, what are some edibles or medicinals that could benefit from a polytunnel? I am building my first hugel bed this year and it is quite large, so I probably won't make any decisions until at least September. Thanks so much for your help and thanks for answering questions this week!

I like the idea of planting clover as a ground cover, and I've seen a few people suggest it. However, I'm wondering about whether this will compete with blueberries and other bramble berries in the root zone?

I've got an additional limitation in that my blueberries/bramble patch is on top of my septic drain field. So, I can't plant anything with roots that go much deeper than the brambles'. I'll definitely be encouraging dandelions and rhubarb at the edge of the bramble patch (which sits in full sun atop a small plateau) and I'll be planting lots of acid-loving nutrient accumulators for chop-and-drop, but does anyone have any other ideas for working with shallow root limitations?