[Redbaron]

OK Time for a much delayed update. I first made a couple photos a while back showing better how I am doing this. In the photos are all the tools and materials I used.

I first mow a strip on level 1 of the mower (set on mulch). Then I throw down some coffee grounds, cracked corn, ground egg shells etc as food for the worms. Then I lay paper out and wet it so it doesn't blow away before I get the hay on it. Then I roll out the hay on top. Now this is somewhat modified because I didn't have room or money in my trial area to do full 4 feet wide rows or rolls of paper, landscaping felt, burlap, or cardboard etc in every row. I did a row each of them to test and the rest are 2 feet wide and papered with news paper instead of a commercial roll of something as a barrier. I also did one row with no barrier at all, just hay mulch.


Also shown is a bucket of special water and special dirt. These are "special" because they are inoculated with Mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria as well as containing my organic ferts and composts, compost teas etc.... The special water and special dirt go directly in the planting holes as I transplant seedlings. First I dig out the plug of old sod plugs and set it aside, fill the hole with water, put the seedling in, and them fill around it with my inoculated high in compost soil.

I quickly learned after the first problems with the broccoli to fill with soil HIGHER that the ground level. So each plant is in its own little "hill". They don't look like hills because the hay mulch is so thick. But it is in hills to the level of the hay. This has solved issues of the hay trying to cover the seedlings in a strong wind or rain, and also even for some unknown reason helped to reduce cutworms and other early insect damages.

Later I pick up all the old sod plugs and use it in my compost piles that get hot enough to kill the plants and seeds in it and will make my "special" dirt for next season.