Well straw anyway , the rain never showed . I got the entire garden
covered with straw today , and it's looking like I'm headed in the right
direction . My soil is in much better shape now than a couple of years
ago . When I started gardening here 4 years ago I didn't realize how
easily the best part of the soil would wash away . Not only does the
straw slow the flow and help control erosion , but it puts much-needed
organic material into the soil . Except for about 3" of topsoil , what
we have here is clay silt and rocks - rocks from grain-of-sand size to
bigger than I can lift alone .

It erodes easily ... but what I'm doing works . I have high hopes for
this year . I'm using a 50/50 mix of compost and manure plus a
tablespoon of Epsom salts to enrich the soil in each hole I plant a
seedling in . I'll be using the same in the hills for cukes/zukes/etc
.... and this year I don't have a major construction project (and my
wife) looking over my shoulder . Depending on the weather , I expect to
get the rest of this years choices planted by Thursday some time .
Tomorrow is my annual VA physical and probably more rain , but Thursday
looks good .

--

Snag