So glad I discovered your channel! Thank you for the thoughtful and thorough explanations. One comment about hay as a mulch material 🍀 Decent quality hay is harvested usually just before flowering and there will be no seed in the bales. It also has the added benefit of a ton more nutrients in the material than straw will have. It makes a great mulch.
Thank you for sharing this update. I watched the previous video as well and have missed the opportunity this year on cover crops but have added several to my list for next year. I'll leave this comment in case anyone else can relate. I'm a little nervous to plant thick cover crops ..since this year for the first time ever...during our extreme heat ...a snake found refuge in my garden. It definitely makes me think I need to be hyper aware of this potential going forward and maybe consider the spacing of the cover crop. Also if anyone knows of snake deterring plants.
Glad it was helpful! I’ve been collecting leaves and waiting; I will probably terminate them and do this whole routine (the 2024 version) before the end of this week.
Very good video. Great Info! I have finally finished covering my garden with grass clippings and leaves. Great exercise. Looks as if you are still having nice weather. Happy Thanksgiving!
Incredible info! Great content. I do agree with that other respondant; Good that you turned down the volume on that annoying background noise but I still hear it.
The only caution I’ve heard on using horse manure is knowing whether the horses were medicated with anything you wouldn’t want in your soil, or if they ate feed treated with herbicides. If they’re your horses, then you would know. ❤️ Overall it’s a great soil amendment!
Personally I plant my garlic into the CMU blocks that line my beds, so I have to rely on others’ research, but for garlic, most of the university extension sources that I’ve found suggest using oats: extension.illinois.edu/blogs/know-how-know-more/2018-03-14-garlic-oats-cover-crop
Tomatoes are self-pollinating but need to be vibrated for the pollen to get where it needs to go-that’s most often done by bees but in theory wind could vibrate them, as well. You get way better yields with bees in the mix. There are several true wind-pollinated crops but they’re mostly in the grass family (grains and corn) and trees-especially nuts like pecans and hazelnuts.
Depending on your level of commitment (or need to *be* committed🤭)... I've heard of people who will take a small artist brush (dry) and just go from blossom to blossom, "tickling" each one lightly, then moving to the next. This is when it's absolutely dead calm, and no wind is happening, or bees haven't found your tomatoes yet. I guess it's worth a try if you've had a poor crop in recent years. Remember to rotate crops and not plant tomatoes in the same bed two or three years in a row. Also rotate them with peas/beans/ other legume family... to replenish the nitrogen heavy feeders like tomatoes use a lot of.
They’re self-compatible, meaning that their own pollen can fertilize the stigmas in their flowers (each flower has male and female parts) but you still need that pollen to get to the right place inside the flower. That’s where the bees come in.
I was reading about cover crops on some University Ag Dept Farm website a few years ago, and I was horrified to find the common way farmers are instructed by the "experts" to grow this grain, and that grass and this legume "for the best, balanced soil building for future crops, yada yada. The entire White Paper seemed geared to natural soil building, supporting the invisible critters populating the living soil. "Yay, I've come to the right place!" I thought. THEN, in keeping with the video here, where she knocked down the crop, waited for it to compost in place, etc... THEY SAID TO KILL OFF THE COVER CROP WITH ROUND-UP!!! So the money crop could be planted in time to harvest at the optimal time. All the effort to build the soil for the sake of rebuilding what's been removed over the decades, and they just SPRAY POISON!!! I shudder to think what the beef I've consumed over the last 30-50 years contains in terms of carcinogens/poisons, without even mentioning murdered soil. It's very disheartening. I'll continue to build my soil at home, hope for the best. THANKS FOR THE GREAT VIDEO AND CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS👍 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🍁🍂🌱🌱🌱🍁🍂
Wonderful! Thank you!
I’m glad it was helpful!
Thanks so much for your thorough response! Your prior video on cover crops, crimping, etc was so helpful.
You’re welcome! I’m glad they’re helpful
Viewing this video is great, really like your presentation.... Thank you.
Thanks! I’m glad that the structure and the message worked :)
So glad I discovered your channel! Thank you for the thoughtful and thorough explanations. One comment about hay as a mulch material 🍀 Decent quality hay is harvested usually just before flowering and there will be no seed in the bales. It also has the added benefit of a ton more nutrients in the material than straw will have. It makes a great mulch.
Nice! A few of my friends had bad experiences but maybe they had poor quality hay 🤷♀️
Thank you for sharing this update. I watched the previous video as well and have missed the opportunity this year on cover crops but have added several to my list for next year. I'll leave this comment in case anyone else can relate. I'm a little nervous to plant thick cover crops ..since this year for the first time ever...during our extreme heat ...a snake found refuge in my garden. It definitely makes me think I need to be hyper aware of this potential going forward and maybe consider the spacing of the cover crop. Also if anyone knows of snake deterring plants.
Yikes! I harvested my potato bags and found a hibernating toad, and that freaked me out badly. I can’t imagine what I’d do with a snake. 😬
@@WellGroundedGardens oh yes! The garden has been inviting for those this year as well. It scares me every time because they camouflage so well. 😂
Mine was upside down and I uncovered its feet, first…I had NO idea what I was seeing, at first
Thank you finally a cover crop video I can understand and I am definitely going to plant.
Glad it was helpful! I’ve been collecting leaves and waiting; I will probably terminate them and do this whole routine (the 2024 version) before the end of this week.
Thank you so much I finally found a gardening advisor your videos have helped me do so much more than I ever thought
I’m so glad!!!
excellent information and answered questions I had re when/what to plant and if I had waited too late. So helpful
Great; I’m so glad!!!
Great video!! I'm definitely late on cover crops, but I have TONS of leaves looking for a job. Cover crops are on the list for next year. Thank you!
Awesome! Put those leaves to work. :)
Great video! Be well.
Thank you!
Thank you for the extra info. Very helpful.
Great! I’m glad it was helpful.
Very good video. Great Info! I have finally finished covering my garden with grass clippings and leaves. Great exercise. Looks as if you are still having nice weather. Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! It’s deceptively sunny, here, but cold. :)
You answered my questions - so helpful!
I’m glad! 🙂
Incredible info! Great content. I do agree with that other respondant; Good that you turned down the volume on that annoying background noise but I still hear it.
Yeah people either love it or hate it. In more recent videos I either skip it or turn it WAY down. 🤷♀️
A little late for me in the U.P, but great information. Next year!!
I say that exact phrase every year 🙂
Great video! I just found you today. So glad i did. Where are you located? Im in Oregon.
Thanks! I’m glad that it’s useful-I’m in southeastern Michigan, zone 6, but am originally from the Pacific Northwest (eastern Washington). :)
What do you think about using horse manure mixed in with leaves for overwintering beds?
The only caution I’ve heard on using horse manure is knowing whether the horses were medicated with anything you wouldn’t want in your soil, or if they ate feed treated with herbicides. If they’re your horses, then you would know. ❤️ Overall it’s a great soil amendment!
If I have a bed where I want to plant garlic in fall, would you interplant with the buckwheat or mustards to put living mulch on the surface?
Personally I plant my garlic into the CMU blocks that line my beds, so I have to rely on others’ research, but for garlic, most of the university extension sources that I’ve found suggest using oats: extension.illinois.edu/blogs/know-how-know-more/2018-03-14-garlic-oats-cover-crop
if you did have herbicides put on your yard in the spring only. How long before you can use the grass
Honestly I don’t know…I think it would depend on the specific herbicide. The manufacturer probably has information on its longevity?
I have a question.. in the spring do you leave whatever you used on top , leaves ,straw , or turn it under?
I did a video on this the following spring:
ua-cam.com/video/NhJHyJo7-Vk/v-deo.html Basically, it depends on which crops I plant the next year.
I have been told tomato are pollinated by the wind on bees
Tomatoes are self-pollinating but need to be vibrated for the pollen to get where it needs to go-that’s most often done by bees but in theory wind could vibrate them, as well. You get way better yields with bees in the mix. There are several true wind-pollinated crops but they’re mostly in the grass family (grains and corn) and trees-especially nuts like pecans and hazelnuts.
Depending on your level of commitment (or need to *be* committed🤭)... I've heard of people who will take a small artist brush (dry) and just go from blossom to blossom, "tickling" each one lightly, then moving to the next. This is when it's absolutely dead calm, and no wind is happening, or bees haven't found your tomatoes yet. I guess it's worth a try if you've had a poor crop in recent years.
Remember to rotate crops and not plant tomatoes in the same bed two or three years in a row. Also rotate them with peas/beans/ other legume family... to replenish the nitrogen heavy feeders like tomatoes use a lot of.
@@youresoakinginit2113 I heard people using vibrating toothbrush as well.
I thougth tomatos are self pollinating? Why plant cover crop under them to attract bees?
They’re self-compatible, meaning that their own pollen can fertilize the stigmas in their flowers (each flower has male and female parts) but you still need that pollen to get to the right place inside the flower. That’s where the bees come in.
Wheat straw can contain Grazon! Caution...
Good to know!
I’ve heard horrible things about grazon. That is good that you posted that for other people to consider.
I was reading about cover crops on some University Ag Dept Farm website a few years ago, and I was horrified to find the common way farmers are instructed by the "experts" to grow this grain, and that grass and this legume "for the best, balanced soil building for future crops, yada yada. The entire White Paper seemed geared to natural soil building, supporting the invisible critters populating the living soil. "Yay, I've come to the right place!" I thought.
THEN, in keeping with the video here, where she knocked down the crop, waited for it to compost in place, etc... THEY SAID TO KILL OFF THE COVER CROP WITH ROUND-UP!!! So the money crop could be planted in time to harvest at the optimal time. All the effort to build the soil for the sake of rebuilding what's been removed over the decades, and they just SPRAY POISON!!! I shudder to think what the beef I've consumed over the last 30-50 years contains in terms of carcinogens/poisons, without even mentioning murdered soil.
It's very disheartening. I'll continue to build my soil at home, hope for the best.
THANKS FOR THE GREAT VIDEO AND CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS👍
🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🍁🍂🌱🌱🌱🍁🍂
I always ask if hay, straw or wheat straw is sprayed with anything. By law they are required to tell you.
Great video! What's your name?