9:23 p.m. - 2008-08-14
A drumroll, please...
...because my soils analysis results came today! Veree acidic soil, with not enough calcium and too much phosphprus. K and Mg are right on, though. Lead levels are elevated but not enough to do anything about, actually not very eleveted at all when you look at the guidelines and parameters.

Unconsciously we've been doing the correct things here. With regard to lead levels, fruiting plants are better. Potatoes will have to be peeled to use, or scrubbed vigorously. And best yet, blueberries would be ideal to grow here!!! I was just thinking of growing blueberries! Well, duh, NJ is famous for blueberries and cranberries. Dawn breaks ver-reee slowly on my particular horizon...

The bird-planted garden does so well because the birdy pooties have calcium and nitrogen, which I did know. That is why chicken pooty makes a grand fertiliser. Bit on the smelly side, though.

I've been doing grand things for the planted beds as well, by adding tons of organic topsoil to them for the past two years. That might explain the grand yields of tomatoes that I've been having . Oh, and I've been calling one tomato wrong---it's Lemon Boy, not Yellow Boy. That one always sounded a bit condescending and elitist to me so I'm glad that I had it wrong.

Of all places, Bluey, Ottawa had brilliant suggestions for ground cover in acidic soil. The grasses that do well are huge, rush-like grasses, so I think that I'll settle for less. However, a ground cover that might do well is called Creeping Thyme. (Oooh, sounds like a baby on the loose if you say it out loud...) I have to do more research on that one, though as well as wild ginger. Wintergreen is apparently brill, so I'll see about that as well.

Tomorrow is the last day before holiday, so I've tons that I will not in all probability get to. We have a wonderful housesitter, though. That is inspiration to get things more together here.

That is all, albeit temporarily so.

Cavalry - Apache