Gardening and building dirt

When the dirt is pretty bad (no organic matter, sandy top, clay 2'' and down solid cay) one needs to do a lot of amendments. that's what the mounds are.

the paper is added to control bindweed infestation.  so there is not many benefits to that dirt to be honest.
Cow manure, horse manure, saw dust aged 2-3 years, and some pies to build compost as mulch.
the paper needs to be perforated. granted it weakens the weed barrier, but if one does not do that the paper can act as roof, in dry weather not a good thing at all. so things need to be done.
The great results first year are not exactly expected. and a variety of crops are planted to see which ones will handle the dirt from the heirlooms.
So some of the pants do sow nutrient deficiency in a week or so. some time was needed to detect which element. It looks like phosphorus and some nitrogen. Te plants are inter-planted with polyurethane companions. Flowers, herbs, nitrogen fixers. Coffee grounds much is added (slow release of nitrogen, coffee shops give used ones for free if one asked to save them for a day)
Other means employed too. Weed stew (some weeds like red stem fillary, bindweed need to be killed in how compost pile or drowned. the plants developed seeds, so drown it is. and closed well) aka green manure. not ideal, but $3 contained from thrift store works. if I find me a barrel I'll do that too, but that takes some time.

this is yeast and super-phosphate and vitamin B starter. yeast was brewing for 3 weeks.

that is a fertilizer to deal with some phosphorus deficiency that exists in my poor soil conditions. coffee grounds aid as well. photos are taken before applying fertilizer. will be applied several times

   

 

These were bough with some signs of nitrogen deficiency, but will see how celery will do.  and nitrogen fixing neighbor :)

 

Onions show no deficiency at all. last autumn strawberry and sorrel and new organic transplants.

 inter-planted with onions and garlic and borage and bachelor's button and some lavander

broccoli etc inter-planted with beans. beans are transplanted. it's a good practice to plant with light hands. beans at times transplant and get stunted. in week or so they should come around.

 tomatoes inter-panted with lettuce and herbs and flowers.

older lettuce, elevated, so mr rabbit does not get it, no deficiency.

cucumber from green house bought and sows some sun damage (was adapted for 3 days) and adapted longer and grown from seed.

 been transplanted, squash

 inter-planting.

some new bushes replaced lilac that did not do well. will see if locally grown currant will do better compared to nursery bought. zone 2 cherry bush should do. acclimated for 2 weeks.

and weeds :)
before

and after


older pile, about a month in making. turned twice. it could go faster, but...