Planting Above Ground Leafy Annuals and Flowers

Here are those same plants that were moving their way out of the greenhouse yesterday. They never made it in the ground on Tuesday due to the distractions of other work that needed to be done (operating the farm stand and CSA for one) and because the planting beds are still being prepped. Hopefully today, they are ready to go!

This is a nice overview of the southwest portion of the farm here, this is the area closest to the farm stand when you pull into the parking area. Behind the boxes full of plants that are itching to find their new homes in the field are rows of basil, behind them a couple of rows of tomatoes, behind the tomatoes and hidden from view in this shot is a mix of flowers/herbs/specialty products, then an area that needs planting represented by the bare patch and beyond this dry beans of all sorts that will fill the bean pots for sales throughout the winter. There is much more beyond this and plenty to see if you have not yet made the trek about the field. If you are in a hurry, bring a bicycle, I saw a couple take a quick field tour on wheels yesterday and thought it was a brilliant idea.

Now looking towards the parking area, this view is from those bare rows behind the tomatoes I mentioned above. It is not so bare after Lee spent some time working on them yesterday afternoon. A couple of rows of flowers were added here yesterday. Lee is adjusting the drip tape that will provide water to the tiny seeds in the field to assist germination. A single tape will feed both of these furrows as it is moved between the two rows of flowers seeds when they are young. Once older and established the tape will be left in the center where it will reach the roots of all the plants.

Lettuce was planted again yesterday too. This is the diligence that keeps us in constant supply for salads as long as possible throughout the season. Lettuce only lasts for so long in the heat of summer, but is so nice to have as a bed for our fresh tomatoes...

Watering the Chiles-Drip Irrigation

Yesterday Jose and Kara got the water on the chile and pepper plants. These plants are watered using drip irrigation versus overhead sprinklers for various reasons, many of which I'm sure could be better explained by Lee and Wayne.

The number one reason for using t-tape of drip irrigation on crops is usually water conservation. Compared with overhead sprinklers, the amount of water used and the concentrated placement of the water is specifically managed to water each plant at it's roots. Plants like peppers may become fragile and top heavy as they mature where overhead water might cause them to topple over and snap. The plants may not respond well to water all over their recently pollinated flowers and foliage as they try to mature to healthy plants without disease and full of sweet and spicy fruits. Weed management is simplified with drip irrigation. While there is now a plastic tube in the way when you do want to cultivate around the plants, the area being watered to encourage surrounding weeds is much less than areas that have been sprinkled. There many many benefits to drip irrigation!


Alternatively, there is cost in this process. Not only is there investment in the resources and infrastructure such as that giant roll of plastic tape and all the fittings and fixtures to make the system complete, but also there is the time and care that goes into setting it all up. Luckily it is just a one time thing for the season until a gopher chews a hole through a tape and maintenance is obligatory, or until frost hits and the entire set up must then be disassembled.

Kara and Jose went about the motions yesterday getting the tape carefully placed around the plants, another practice to ensure best growing practices and conditions for production in the fields. It was a bit breezy out there yesterday as it seems it is any day you are trying to haul super long pieces of tape down crop rows. Rather than breaking her back and hunching over to keep the tape from blowing in the wind as Kara walked it down each row, she smartly innovated a technique of wrapping it around her ankle as she walked to keep tension on the tape out of the wind while keeping her body ergonomically protected from farm work.

Overhead sprinkling absolutely has it's use and niche in the farm fields, I think a majority of the crops at Tierra are given overhead water. Obviously, the set up can be less trouble, there is more freedom of cultivation, the water may benefit some kinds of plants in washing away pests, it may assist in germination of dense or smaller seeds that need even water coverage throughout the rows, etc... These are just a few more things to think about when planning and operating the farm.