Eileen McGurty

Christopher Weeks wrote:I think the most standard answer is to hit the bed with a crimper and then plant into the residue.

I cut everything down and the clippings are now lying on top of the beds with the roots of the cover crops still in the soil.

What I don't understand is how that helps keep things "weed" free. Won't the cover crop grow back and act as a weed unless it's completely removed from the roots -- like other "weeds?"  

Part of why I planted the cover crop was for the N and part of the reason was to keep weeds down.

Last fall, I planted a cover crop in our raised beds and field beds. It was a mix of vetch and other such things (can't remember what was in it!).  Now I have  a crop of 6 inch high vetch, etc... I am ready to plant... what do I do with it? Do I just turn it over and plant?  

I did plant one bed already.  I was putting in raspberries, so I pitch forked it, pulled out all the green things and then planted the raspberry canes.  I don't think that was the right thing to do....?

I want to plant a cover crop in my garden. My purpose is to build soil and stop erosion. I was thinking of hairy vetch. In zone 5b with the first frost date mid September is it too late to bother?

Are there 2020 workshops to go along with the tours? The link goes to 2017 workshops  

Thanks, Daniel. That was what I had thought. I might do a cover. It would be best but not sure I have it in me this year 🤪

Since I wrote the initial post, I’ve started thinking about doing an earthen rocket oven instead. Do you have any experience with that?

I’m planning to build a cob oven in Montana. How deep do I need to make the concrete pad?  Does it need to be floating foundation/monolith style?