James Bradford

Im getting a few tasty treats

Its weed pulling, bug catching, and compost tea making season.

I pretend im just collecting fodder for the tea ...thats more fun than pulling weeds and diseased leaves

Weeds go to collection bins setup to reduce walking

Prickly things and seedy things may go to the biochar trench

Diseased stuff, ants, snails go to bucket full of water with lid

Whew, we are having quite a dry spring.  I was hoping for better wildflower display.  The blue curl and evening primrose are putting the best show on so far.  

Even roses have dried out looking petals now.

Primrose estblished and flowered on top of my very dry hugel

After steadily uping the biochar in my potting mix, i discovered some things:

Some plants dont mind, and others do.

The strawberries did better with lower amounts.

Snowpeas, wildflowers, and succulents did fine with greater amounts.

Rootings do great in biochar chunks with just enough sand to fill the gaps ...and slighty better still in biochar plus peat and vermiculite

The pink clammy weed has interesting odor and flowers thru desert-like summers.  

Some people see geranium ...i see, an easy $5 @ the farmer's market

Honeybee workin the fuscia spiderwort

Blue curl fowers look like baby octopus

Hopefully this is that last time everbody has to squeeze into the greehouse

April 7 ...ice in central Texas