Stinging Nettle and the Keyhole Garden

If you’ve ever grabbed a weed to pull it up and for your efforts got a handful of nasty stinging sensations, you may have met up with nettle, urtica dioica. This experience was my first intro to this plant. That was many years ago, and since moving from the farmhouse to here in the woods, there hasn’t been any. None rode along with the menagerie of plants I carted in. It might not have survived anyway. Nettle needs really good soil.

The Fedco catalog offers nettle seeds, and last year I bought a packet. You might be wondering why anyone would plant a stinging weed. I seeded it partly to have more weed variety than the plantain and dandelion which established themselves in disturbed soil back when the house was built.

Another reason is that it is thought to be, in terms of permaculture, a nutrient accumulator. This is a plant that draws nutrients from the soil bringing them to the surface. After the plants die down in fall the leaves can be left in place to provide mulch. Or they can be hauled off to the compost pile. Either way, the nutrients recycle.

Nettle is full of stingy little hairs

I planted the nettle seeds at one end of the first of our two keyhole gardens, click here for the first post on the keyhole garden, and here for the following year. The nettle got off to a slow start. The garden was built on top of a generous layer of pine boughs. They had not yet broken down, and none of the numerous varieties of plants I had stuck into the garden were thriving. It is said of nettle that you can tell how good your soil is by how well it grows. I kept adding compost, manure, and dirt to the keyhole as I'd done all along.

Last fall I pulled up the patch, roots and all, and contributed it to the compost pile. Like comfrey and horseradish, root bits left in the ground become new plants. A whole new crop emerged this spring.

And this year, things have changed in the keyhole garden. For the first time I can dig into the soil without the shovel being deflected by a layer of pine boughs. There are blackened bits remaining, but for the most part they have dissolved. My small nettle patch shows signs of robust growth, as do other perennials in the keyhole.

Nettle is a herb with many uses. In a future post I’ll fill you in on some of the fabulous things that this plant is known for. Meanwhile, you might consider putting nettle seeds on your shopping list. -jmm

My Experience with Hugelkultur

One of our many interests is that of permaculture. There are many ideas all lumped together under this topic, and one of them is hugelkulture. This is a German word meaning “mound culture”. Hugelkulture consists of  building a raised garden bed on top of branches or other woody matter. A google search turned up the idea of using logs, whether green or rotted.

I started one of these beds about 13 years ago, entirely unaware of anything called “hugelkulture”. Our land is forested, and that has meant finding uses for branches and logs as we expand the garden and open up areas for pasture.

The builders of this house left a pile of logs alongside of an embankment. It was quite the log pile, stacked up against a slope and extending two to three feet above ground level. I had no use for the logs.

The area seemed like a great place to put a perennials garden, but moving heavy logs was more than I wanted to do. So I thought maybe I would toss some dirt onto them, and then stick some plants into it. It seemed like a way to disguise the logs and start a garden bed at the same time.

This log is much smaller than it was

It took a lot of dirt. With grubhoe and shovel I excavated an embankment producing wheelbarrow loads of stony sand. Load after load was tossed onto the logs. I worked in some compost, and planted a few perennials. They did not grow very well.

Over the years I’ve had to continually add more dirt. Apparently the dirt sinks down into spaces between the logs. Holes would suddenly appear. I kept adding more dirt. Wheelbarrow loads of it. I had to take out the plants and then replant them afterward.

After about ten years the logs started to rot. I’d walk on the pile and things seemed squishy. Areas again started to sink. Holes reappeared. I tossed on dirt, added manure or compost, and re-situated plants. Around this time the plants were starting to look a little healthier.

Now, after 13 years the log pile garden has shrunk considerably. The plants are doing very well. I’ve even put my favorite shrub there, a Japanese quince. This year the quince is flowering for the first time since it was moved here 13 years ago.

The logs are still there. A couple of them show above the dirt in spite of all the dirt and compost that were piled on. The logs appear to have shrunk and their surfaces are rotting. I expect the pile will continue to shrink.

Gardening on rotting logs is said to take advantage of the ability of rotting wood to retain moisture and release it gradually to the roots of the plants. One might take note that mulch does the same thing. What is interesting is to observe over the years how wood incorporates into the ground. What I’ve seen with rotting logs in the woods is they dissolve down to almost nothing. If you thought you were getting a raised bed out of your soil covered logs, it’ll be a shrinking one.

I’m not discounting the hugelkulture concept. I actually think it’s a wonderful idea. Certainly, in an ashes to ashes kind of way, it is a part of the permaculture philosophy. There is a little bit of work involved, but in the end it seems like a fine way to use up old logs. -jmm

This Week in the Garden

Spring is planting time. This year we are experimenting with companion planting. The theory behind companion planting is that certain combinations of plants allow the plants to help each other in various ways. There are many different sources of information on companion planting, and one that I have been relying on is Google. (If you’re trying to find companions for particular veggies, type “[plant name] companion plants” in the search box).

Murphy stands watch over the salad garden

Some plants attract beneficial insects to repel pests. Others, like peas and beans, fix nitrogen in the soil. Still others provide shade for plants that would wilt in the hot summer sun, like spinach and lettuce.

Besides plants that help each other, some plants should not be grown together. Heavy feeders should be kept apart as they compete for soil nutrients. We avoid planting carrots and parsnips together for this reason. Onions and beans don't do well together. Potatoes should not be grown with carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes or squash. They are said to do well with horseradish because it increases their disease resistance.

While it's still too early to plant tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, many seeds can be planted in early May. We have seeded three 12-foot rows of beets. There is a patch of red and white onions. Rows of peas have been planted along fences so they can climb, along with companion plantings of rutabagas and radishes.

Two rows of cabbage have a center row of onions. Onions, and other members of the allium family are helpers to a number of plants, including members of the brassica family which includes cabbage. The onions help to repel slugs and cabbage worms.

Our salad garden has been seeded with arugula, red and green lettuce, garlic chives, sorrell, nasturtiums and scallions.

We hope to increase our crop yield by combining plants that help each other and avoiding combinations that compete. Here's to healthy and abundant veggies this season. G.H.

Spring Pickin's

The trees still have no leaves, and some nights are still cold, close to freezing. The last of the snow has only recently melted, and in some areas there is still frost in the ground.

Crocus flowers are coming into bloom, and daffodils will soon follow. Even with these signs of spring it’s too early by weeks or months for garden veggies to be ready to eat.

But, there are a few things out there in the garden that are ready for eating now. And those are:

Chives. Only a few inches tall, they can be cut near to the ground, and new growth will soon follow. Finely chopped, chives are perfect to sprinkle onto green salads, omelets, sandwiches, stews, soups, and so on for fresh spring green color and some nutritional enhancement. They are perennial plants, and once planted will serve you for entire growing seasons for many years.

Perennial onions. As soon as the green tops start growing they can be harvested. If your crop is small, pick sparingly so that some of them can go to seed and renew the patch. Slice thinly, using the white bulb and all of the green top. The root end can be tucked back into the dirt in case it might like to grow a new top. Use perennial onions the same as chives, sprinkled on just about any entree or salad. They can be cooked; if you run out of the bulb type of onion, they are a fine substitute.

Upland cress. Upland cress has a wonderful and vibrant peppery flavor and can be grown like a weed. We let them seed themselves around the edges of garden rows, and throughout the salad garden. Pick a few leaves from each plant and mince them using a chef'’s knife. Upland cress is a delightful addition to a salad or a sandwich, and can be sprinkled on other foods as well.

Kale is starting to regrow and will soon be pickable. Our warm winters no longer preserve the plants. Kale can be harvested continuously until spring if winter stays cold. Our new crazy winter weather causes them to begin to rot instead. In spring, kale begins to revive and grow new tops. Kale can be minced finely and used in salads, but is at its best steamed or added to a stew or soup. We allow kale to seed itself in order to start new plants. Our kale patch is not rotated like most other garden plants and each plant is allowed to regrow in spring until it dies out.

Parsnips are another springtime food, pickable as soon as the frost lets go of them. Roasted whole, or cut into matchsticks and sautéed in butter, they have a wonderful and unique flavor and are a true sign of spring. Parsnips are a long-season grower. Plant seeds in late spring and leave the plants in the ground all through winter. If allowed to go to seed, they will self seed prolifically.

The earliest harvestables are a true joy after a long winter of relying on stored and supermarket fare. They are welcome additions to the leafy greens in the cold frames. -jmm

Local Water Rights

Drinkable water is becoming scarce in many parts of the world. Although here the water supply sufficiently serves our communities, this supply can be easily taken from our control. I attended a hearing in one of our neighboring towns where a multi-national company is seeking to enlarge its control over the local aquifer. This is my observation of the meeting.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission held a meeting on March 7th in Fryeburg, Maine. The intent was to hear public comment regarding a proposed agreement between the Fryeburg Water Company and the parent company of Poland Springs, Nestle Waters North America, Inc. The agreement would allow Nestle to lease land and to extract massive quantities of water from an aquifer that serves Fryeburg and surrounding towns. The agreement spans 25 years with four five-year extensions, a total of 45 years. It specifies a minimum of 75 million gallons of water to be extracted annually. Nestle and the Fryeburg Water Company claim that the agreement will provide rate stability and a consistent revenue stream for Fryeburg Water Company’s customers.

The meeting hall was packed to overflowing with residents and interested parties. most of whom were in objection to the agreement. Reasons for the objections varied. A major concern was with the length of the agreement. It would be the longest such agreement for water extraction in the nation. Although, for now there is plenty of water in this aquifer, droughts could possibly happen during that span of time, and cannot be predicted. Suggestions were made to have a much shorter time frame in order to monitor and revise, or even curtail the plan if necessary. A nine-year-old resident expressed his concern that he would be 54 before he may have the opportunity to vote on the next extraction agreement.

Sustainability issues were raised by many residents. Water used by residents, and local businesses and farms goes back into the ground. Water that is extracted and shipped away depletes the local water supply. Extracting massive quantities will change the flow of waters toward the ocean as well as the nutrient levels of the water. This will impact fish habitats and breeding areas, affecting areas far beyond Fryeburg.

The size of the Nestle company, a large multi-national, was brought into question. Objections were made as to how a small town can effectively deal with this huge corporate entity. Reference was also made to a previous citizen vote to not allow expansion of Nestle's procurement. For this, Nestle sued the town. And winning the case got what it wanted in spite of voter objections.

The history of Fryeburg Water Company was also questioned in regards to its debt issues and monitoring procedures. Examples were cited of failures to test all of the three wells it manages. Currently, monitoring is done jointly by Nestle and the Fryeburg Water Company. It was suggested that an independent monitoring agency would better assure that information is transparently shared with the community.

The proposed agreement addresses potential water shortages resulting from extracting and other causes, but reduction rates are the same for Nestle as they are for residents. Citizens cited this as unfair, since Nestle could make up differences from their other extraction sites, while Fryeburg residents could not.

Citizens from Shapleigh, Newfield and Kennebunk testified about their communities having rejected offers from Nestle to extract their water. These and other towns in both Maine and New Hampshire have successfully voted to prohibit massive water extraction in their communities.

Even though Fryeburg has very low water rates and Nestle contributes $56,000 to the property tax base, residents overwhelmingly pleaded with the PUC commissioners to reject the agreement. There will be a Public Utilities Commission hearing in May and the final decision may come this summer. -G.H.

An Update on our Cold Frames

Before yesterday’s rain, I shoveled two feet of snow off two of our cold frames. There is a third cold frame still buried under snow. After one snow storm brought us over two feet, and another bringing a foot the following week, the cold frames have all been buried for a month. The snow pack provides a thick blanket of insulation protecting them from freezing night time temperatures.

After shoveling the snow, I opened the frames and marveled at the contrast between the green sprouts and the white banks of snow surrounding the cold frames. With days above freezing now, I'll be propping the frames open during the day.

The mache is green and healthy

The cold frames are now a part of a daily routine. This begins with a hike in the woods with our energetic dog, Murphy. Then I prop open the cold frames, and we go indoors and Murphy gets his breakfast. In the evening, before the temperature drops down into the 20's, Murphy and I have our evening trek, then I put the windows back down onto the cold frames. Not much work to that.

This year we had baby lettuce and mache until late in January, only harvesting the thinnings. The patch had been thickly seeded in late August, and  the seeds were covered with a thick layer of compost. The dark color of the compost absorbed the sunlight, kept the soil warm, and the seeds germinated.

After taking out the thinnings for our salads, the weather was cold and we kept the windows closed on the frames. Now, there are lots of well-spaced little plants that will grow as the weather warms. They will be ready to pick by early April- just when we're getting ready to plant the main garden. As spaces open up in the cold frame, I’ll throw in more seeds and cover them with some compost. That's all there is to it. Not much effort for getting fresh, organic salad greens for a good part of the winter. And all for the cost of some seeds and a little labor. -G.H.

All About Asparagus, Part 2

After the asparagus has been planted (see our previous post on asparagus), growing it takes patience and it goes like this. Year one. Plant the crowns. Years two and three. Resist temptation.

During this time, especially if the shoots are small, it’s important to resist the urge to pick them. They are actually part of the plant itself, not the fruit, so harvesting too early actually weakens the plant. The shoots grow into ferns which provide energy that goes into developing a healthy crown and a strong root system. A healthy, mature crown will then put out a multiple of spears.

Keeping the asparagus bed free of weeds helps to prevent fungal disease. The easiest way to accomplish this is to provide a layer of mulch. Mulch performs several functions; those of keeping the soil moist, and limiting weed growth. In winter in cold climates it also protects the crowns which stimulates the shoots into earlier production. We first tried using straw for mulching, but found it a breeding ground for slugs. We now use leaves, raked every fall into piles that are then placed onto all of our pathways. With forest all around our garden, leaves are abundant.

There is a possibility of Asparagus beetles invading the patch, although we haven’t seen them here. There are two types of beetles that invade asparagus patches so if you think you have them, Google “asparagus beetle” to find a strategy for dealing with the type you have. The beetles feed on shoots in spring and the ferns in summer.

Asparagus spears can grow as much as ten inches in a single day. They are ready to pick when the stalks reach around 8 inches tall and the spears are still tightly closed. The harvest season should last approximately six to seven weeks in spring through early summer. The number and diameter of the spears will dwindle toward the end of the season, showing that the crown is getting distressed and the harvest time is over.

When the spears begin to dwindle, stop harvesting. The remaining spears will grow into ferns. Let the ferns keep growing through summer and into autumn. They will reach heights of up to five feet.

In the fall, when the ferns turn yellow, cut them to the ground. Asparagus rust is a wind-borne fungus that may overwinter on plants that are not cut down. Cutting the ferns in the fall also keeps asparagus beetles from overwintering on uncut plants. -G.H.