SoilMatrix Garden – Summer 2016
Soil Matrix Garden – July 17, 2016
Probably one of the most rewarding activities on the planet – Gardening. Throughout the summer of 2016, AirTerra will be featuring the SoilMatrix Garden. Every two weeks a new photo of the garden will be posted to chart its progress. The soil for this garden was prepared with a 10% blend of SoilMatrix biochar (by volume) with 90% good garden soil from Eagle Lake. Blending was accomplished using a ground tarp that was pulled from side to side until the two ingredients were blended evenly (easer to accomplish with two people pulling the tarp). Items in the foreground were planted from seedlings grown in a small greenhouse. Items in the rows further away were planted from seed. For example, Karin is standing beside the peas planted from seedlings, which are now standing 6 feet tall. The peas planted as seeds are to the left in the second row of plants and they are catching up quickly!
On July 30, 2016, the SoilMatrix Garden suffered from a significant hail storm with marble sized hail stones that ripped through the pumpkin leaves and pounded down the peas that were standing rather tall prior to the storm. Just how well the garden was able to repair itself and endure this severe weather is evident in the following photo taken on August 3, 2016. Further photos will be included through August and September in sequence.
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Just looking at the Soil Matrix Garden in Calgary 2016. The top cover on the soil looks like wood chips, can you confirm what it is and how and when to apply. Thanks
Jan,
We keep the SoilMatrix garden covered with wood chip mulch at all times. We seed into the mulch as well by just brushing it aside a little and using a cutlass blade to make the seed row. This is to disturb the soil life a little as possible and encourage their survival. This fall we will be taking another step towards continuous cover crops that will be terminated by crimping or mowing prior to our garden crop seeding in the summers. These are all experiments that we and many others are running to help bring soils back to a healthy level of organic carbon that benefits soil health and soil life.
Thank you for reaching out to AirTerra and the SoilMatrix newsletter.
Rob