forest gardening

CLEARING THE LAND

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After Brenda and I were finished with the APPLE AND GROMMETS episode the other day, the second shift came in to work at The Vicarage.

My daughter, Melanie, and my daughter-in-law, Kristine, came to clear some of the property at the back of the house to make way for the building of a natural fence and for a strawberry patch.

They had to cut out a lot of black raspberry vines, golden rod stems and barberry thorn as well as a rather nasty wild rose bush that has made its presence quite unwelcome.

Meanwhile the grandchildren relaxed inside watching Moana while I finished up dinner for us all.

After dinner I had a meeting at the church and when I got back the strawberry patch looked like this.

WAY TO GO LADIES OF THE SECOND SHIFT!!!!

SPRINGING INTO ACTION

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Yesterday was my first day back in action after my wisdom teeth were removed. The teeth were taken out on Monday and yesterday was Wednesday, so I don’t consider that too bad of a recovery time. Praise God for His healing power!

Anyway, Brenda and I had a boatload of things to do in the forest garden at The Vicarage yesterday. It involved two trips to Tractor Supply for: a chick tub (the chicks arrive on Friday), shavings for the chick tub, some waterless dog shampoo and two apple trees.

Then it was off to Walmart for: small tomato stakes, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, dog food and household items. We are finishing our stock up for the tariff troubles.

When we got home Brenda made lunch while I brought the supplies into the house. After lunch before going back to Tractor Supply to get the apple trees ( they wouldn’t fit on the first run), I staked up our baby tomatoes.

after bringing the apple trees home, Brenda and I got to work on the raised beds. I went to Belletetes hardware to pick up a grommet maker for our bed covers and some screws to hold it in place.

While Brenda worked on the grommets. I planted one of the apple trees and fed the chickens.

We got one bed half done and the covers cut for all the raised beds before we began to run out of steam and light. It was a good day!

THE FOREST GARDENING BEGINS 2025

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I have now met with our Vicarage gardening team either in person or on line. We have started peppers and tomatoes in pots. This week we will start the broccoli in pots to get it started before we put it out under the covered beds we are getting ready.

Here is a video I watched on planting the broccoli.

Next come the early greens and the peas.

Oh! I also received our Jerusalem artichoke bulbs.

Photo by Hatice Nou011fman on Pexels.com

and the Belgian endive seeds.

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels.com

FEBRUARY 1, 2025: TIME TO START THE GARDEN

/ joseph elon lillie / 1 Comment

Well as I said in yesterday’s video, Spring is almost here!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Of course it will be months before the tulips and daffodils poke their heads up through the ground. Like wise it will still be months before I can turn the ground in the garden beds and put the cold crops into the ground.

Photo by Greta Hoffman on Pexels.com

One thing I know though is that months go fast. So this week I will plan out the garden.

Photo by Tom Fisk on Pexels.com

It won’t be that intricate, but you get the idea. Also this week I will be purchasing some of the plants I will be starting from seed or root. I have a whole space I set aside in the fall for Jerusalem artichoke.

Photo by Hatice Nou011fman on Pexels.com

I can’t wait to get started!

FOREST GARDEN: JAPANESE KNOTWEED

/ joseph elon lillie / 1 Comment

I believe that part of gardening is looking at the landscape you have around you and figuring out how that works into your garden plan. My garden just happens to be filled with lots of invasive things. On the surface that would seem to be a drawback, but as I think through it all there are lots of advantages that the invasive species bring.

One of the species I deal with is Japanese knotweed.

It grows fast and takes over. I do cut it back every year and I have often thought about getting rid of it altogether, but the birds and the rabbits love to nest in the dense foliage. There are always an abundance of nests wedged into the close growing bamboo-like stalks. In the winter it attracts hosts of sparrows who use it to hide from predators during the day and night. This year our rabbits have built their warren in the heart of the knotweed jungle.

This beautiful fellow has been hunting on our property all this week.

This winter I am trying to learn more about forest gardening and the plants I already have in the forest as I lay my garden plan for the Spring. Here is something I have learned about knotweed.

I think I will keep the Knotweed.

DRY

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One of the reasons that the leaves here in New England were so brilliant this year was because we have been cool and dry. We are currently in a level 3 drought here in Winchendon MA which means we are in critical drought. We are also in a severe fire threat. With 518 fires in the state having burned 1500 acres so far, outdoor burning of yard waste has been banned through January 15th here in MA.

That means here in the forest garden my growing pile of brush is not going anywhere at the moment. It’s Ok. I am still putting plastic on the windows inside just now. I don’t really have time for a fire in the fire pit.