Farm & Garden
Gardening: Indoors & Out

• On the Farm:  The Decline in Regional Farming / 1860-Present

• Gardening, Indoors & Out:  Mound System Gardening

• Links to Farm & Garden On-Line:  FMD Info & Prevention Resources {cont.}

.

Up Hill, but No Battle ...
Mound System Gardening
by Bob & Beth Quackenbush

Ed. Note:  On this team, Bob is in charge
of the gardens; Beth puts up the bounty
 ... and writes.  Everything about the
Quackenbush's yard says order,
abundance and care ...

I have had a vegetable garden in Vermont for over 20 years.  During that time I have adopted some techniques that have worked well for me.   ...

My garden is 20’ X 60’, and the soil is clay.   I have found that the best way to work the soil and maintain it is to use a rototiller with the tines mounted in the rear.   I first till the soil in the early spring to allow it to dry out.   I till a second time prior to planting at which time I till in composted cow manure.   I use a commercially bagged manure because it is easy to handle and weed free.   After the second tilling, I rake my beds into mounds for each crop.

*******       *******

Bob starts his seedlings in the sun room

The advantages of a mound system ...
I have chosen the mounded method because it allows me to concentrate the topsoil in the area where it is needed.   It also helps the soil dry out in the spring, which is important when you have heavy clay soil as I do.  ...

Another advantage of mounds is the ability to have wide pathways between crops where I lay down hay to stunt weed growth during the growing season.

Tomatoes, peppers & broccoli ...
For tomatoes, peppers and broccoli, I use mounds that are approximately a foot wide and about six inches high. The length of the bed is dependent on the amount of plants. For the tomatoes and peppers, I cover the mounds with black plastic to hold the moisture and heat in the soil, and to help eliminate weeds.  I then cut holes in the plastic for the plants and place a paper cup with the bottom cut out around each plant to protect them from cutworms.

... flowers ...

For broccoli, I do not use black plastic, but I do use the paper cups around the plants.  I spread mulch hay around the broccoli plants to keep the soil cool and moist.   Broccoli and cauliflower do not seem to do well if the soil is allowed to heat up.

Beans, carrots & peas ...
I use the wide row method for my beans, carrots and peas.  I rake wide mounds approximately four feet wide, four to five inches high, and as long as needed.   I plant the seeds two to three inches apart.  The advantage to this is that when the plants grow up they are close enough together to choke out the weeds. Once the plants are established, I side dress them all with a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10.

... and vegetables ...

A particular advantage for peas ...
A bonus advantage of this style of gardening comes with the planting of peas.  As most gardeners know, peas are a cool weather crop and need to be planted early.   Many times, as was the case this year, there is snow on the ground right into April.  This makes it difficult to get the soil tilled and ready in time to plant peas.   In anticipation of this possibility, I prepare my pea bed in the fall.   After my last fall tilling, I mound up one bed for my peas.  This year I planted peas on April 25^th, just a few days after the last of the snow melted.

Corn, rye, and crop rotations ...
A third of my garden is planted with corn.  I rotate my corn each year from one end of the garden to the other.  I use a cover crop of perennial rye in the end not planted with corn.  I till the rye into the soil in the fall, which adds nutrients and improves the texture of the soil for the following year.  I also rotate all the crops in the center of the garden from year to year.

Keeping the raccoons at bay ...
Having so much corn planted in my garden has meant that I have had to address the problem of raccoons.  Have you ever noticed how raccoons know exactly when your corn is ready? 

If you are not prepared with fool proof fencing, you will wake up one morning and find that the local raccoons have had a great party in your garden the night before.  There will be nothing but husks scattered all over your corn patch.

My first fencing was chicken wire, but these clever animals scoot right underneath it.  I have found that three low strands of electric fence does the trick. My top strand is about one foot off the ground with the other two evenly spaced below.  It is the only method I have tried that really works. They must test it out once or twice and then they are smart enough to stay clear.  It is not necessary to plug it in during the day.  However, if you ever forget to plug it in at night, you better hope a hungry raccoon doesn’t come back to test it one more time!

The mound for peas is prepared in the Fall, so Bob can get early peas in the Spring.  ...	The mounds are ready for planting.  ...	Hardly an asparagus is left standing in the asparagus patch.
The garden mounds are guarded by Susie Q, the dog.  ...	Beth and Bob also grow apples ...	... and flowers ...

*******       *******

I love to garden, but I like to keep it simple, allowing time for other things.

So ...

...  and more flowers  ... Bob & Beth in their perennial garden

Rototilling twice each spring and using mounded beds gives your crops the best soil.  ...

Using wide rows, black plastic and hay mulch eliminates most weeds and holds moisture ...

adding a cover crop and fertilizers enrich the soil ...

... and using a low, three strand electric fence keeps those raccoons at bay.

All together, they bound to assure you a successful crop.

Bob & Beth Qauckenbush    

.

*******       *******

    If you would like to submit a feature for our Farm & Garden section, don't hesitate to let us know.  Simply e-mail us at farmgarden@downstreetmagazine.com.  The e-mail should contain your name, address, and a phone number where we can reach you.  You may also send a copy of your proposed article.  The text can either be included in the body of the e-mail, or you can send it as an attachment in just about any word processing format.  If your piece is accepted, we will pay a small honorarium for your interest & your time.  [See Freelancers Wanted for more details.]

*******       *******

If you would like to advertise in this section, or throughout the magazine, please visit our Advertising Info Pages ... or call, write, or e-mail ads@downstreetmagazine.com.

*******       *******

   Phone                                (802) 453-5124
    Fax                                    (978) 428-6335
   ... or e-mail
   Advertising:                              ads@downstreetmagazine.com
   Articles & submissions:        submissions@downstreetmagazine.com
   Subscriptions:                          subscribe@downstreetmagazine.com
   ...    

All material copyrighted © 2000-2001.  All rights reserved.
Citations should follow standard conventions.
Please contact us for reprint permissions.
DownStreet Magazine is a registered trademark of Fern Hill Services.
Lou Colasanti, Editor & Laura Wisniewski, Associate Editor
.                                                                                                 .