learning the hard way :)

[RayFromFranceMember]

So I was so happy with my tiny 30 square yard plot following Charles recommendations of compost on lawn and almost no weeds. As you all know, spring in France was pouring down but when I left for work elswhere T weeks ago the wheather turned good. I came back yesterday, and whaoooo…. I now had a jungle ! Bindweed, Dandelion and couchgrass growing like crazy ! But also my artichokes that extended from 1 to 4 foot, Raspberries went to 2.80 yards in height, my wife cannot pick the berries without a ladder tomatoes from tiny 1 foot to amazing 5 foot growing like spiders. How could all this grow without any rain ? The soil is hard and totally dry. The beds are well draining. I spent all day cleaning and watering, but it intrigues me how so much can grow without any water ?

[charlesModerator]

 This sounds great, perhaps it was good to be away and unable to water!

It does appear that undug soil allows roots to go deeper, or that the preservation of mycorrhizal fungi (which are damaged by soil cultivations and exposure to air) enables roots to access more of the soil’s moisture reserves, because fungi can penetrate smaller pores in the soil than plant roots. 

[RayFromFranceMember]

I actually built my first two years soil with tons of woodchips and leaves in the fall in 2010. So there must be lots of fungi. I can jump on my soil, it is so compact. Last fall I only added green city compost. And lots of EM. Lxast fall I had lots of mushrooms growing all winter. On my new land I will use less wood for my veggies.

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