The vegetable garden of the lazy Breton

[Carl]

please use the "attachments" function ...

Noted. I will try to remember it ;-)

[Carl]

I have the impression that you could easily double the layer

I think that the variable that changes EVERYTHING is the density of the layer which is difficult to appreciate in a photo.
These photos were taken without aeration of the hay, an aeration whose simple purpose was to leave a small hole for the onions and potatoes to pass. Cause like I said, the hay from the old bundle was like "braided"It was really impressive.

A priori, farmers can adjust the "compaction" and the diameter of the bundles .....

[Carl]

Today, 3rd day of "work" ... garlic and shallot plantation: 1h15mn not enough to get tired =)

AND for the first time: the appearance of the Holy Christ ^^!

Hallelujah! pure pleasure! call all your brothers and all your sisters, here it will be the chick !!!


I was still surprised by one thing: you have to spread the hay a lot to be able to reach the ground and be able to plant the bulbs (garlic and shallots). Once the hole was done by hand, I simply covered the top with hay .... is this the right way to do it ???
Are you sure that a bulb, without this manual labor of man, could pierce such a layer of hay?

Some photos to illustrate my point:

[Did67]

I was still surprised by one thing: you have to spread the hay a lot to be able to reach the ground and be able to plant the bulbs (garlic and shallots). Once the hole was done by hand, I simply covered the top with hay .... is this the right way to do it ???
Are you sure that a bulb, without this manual labor of man, could pierce such a layer of hay?

To progress in the exercise of laziness:

- I don't touch the hay
- I put a board so as not to "seal" the still very wet ground (at home, it snows!)
- I take my planter and prick through the hay
- with the other hand, I position the bulb half in the ground, the top in the hay
- I “limit” as when I transplant leeks (we plant the dibble slightly diagonally with 3 fingers next to it and we “fold” towards the bulb); like that it is "blocked" in its position and does not fall to the bottom of the hole
- the hole, even if it closes, will make a path that the leaves will take

[Watch my video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=qUqdUtCANQ4]

[Carl]

- the hole, even if it closes, will make a path that the leaves will take

It worries me a bit, because:
- unless you force like a "sick" on the dibble, it will not pierce the hay (which seems to me like "braiding" in certain places)
- I covered the hay hole (certainly without tamping) but to obstruct the passage of light. Will this not hinder the development of the bulb?

Afterwards, I just spread out the hay ... which was very packed (that's my beginner's impression) ...

[Did67]

Yes, indeed, if the dibbler does not pass ... you have to ask yourself the question. Me, it went without great difficulty.

There are indeed big differences in the pressure used by farmers. And also the very nature of the hay ... This year, the same farmer as usual also supplied me with rolls which were rolled out in a much less airy manner.

What I can say is that if the dibber passes, the bulbs come out (shallots, onions, garlic).

[Carl]

Several questions :
1. Do onions, garlic or shallots need light to pierce the hay?
2. If they have a space without light, can they grow enough to be able to pierce the hay layer?
3. Roughly speaking, what size can an onion, garlic or shallot reach without light?

Any answers, even approximate, would be greatly appreciated! due to their complexity ;-)

[olivier75]

Hello,

At the beginning of my thread, the lazy vegetable garden every once in a while there are pictures of onions going through a thick layer of hay that had been rolled out on it.
The bulbs do not need light and have strength, but a large thickness delays them. I use a pointed stainless steel commercial dibbler which is only blocked by stones.
It makes a hole too deep and not very wide, but it does not seem to have any consequences, there are also photos of the roots three weeks later which shows it. After three weeks, some bulbs can no longer be torn off.
Olivier.

[Did67]

Several questions :
1. Do onions, garlic or shallots need light to pierce the hay?
2. If they have a space without light, can they grow enough to be able to pierce the hay layer?
3. Roughly speaking, what size can an onion, garlic or shallot reach without light?

Any answers, even approximate, would be greatly appreciated! due to their complexity ;-)

1) No. Although the small "bulbs" are called "seeds", it is a living reserve organ. That doesn't work like a seed at all! Bulbs (tulips, daffodils, daffodils ...) really don't care. And break through. Like some pesky weeds: quackgrass, dandelion, thistles ...

2) Yes. They pass without problem about twenty cm (if the dibble passes). From their reserves. Compare the volume to a seed (even if a bulb is much more watery than a seed, which "concentrates" its substances, its energies - no wonder this is what we plunder first: starch, oils, proteins. ..)

3) ????? I never tried to push them to the limit!

[Did67]

.... but a thick layer delays them. I use a pointed stainless steel commercial dibbler which is only blocked by stones.
It makes a hole too deep and not very wide, ...

1) Yes. Very useful addition.

Note that for onions, shallots, as we will harvest early (July), there is no need to have a very thick layer. The few weeds that appear at the end of the cycle have no influence on the yield ... and feed soil organisms ...

2) You can adjust the planting depth by "limiting" each bulb, as you would a leek plant or bare root salad ... This blocks it at the right depth, which you can feel with the tip of your finger.