Location
We have moved,and are now located
at Martin Road Park,
in Ferndale, Michigan.
(see map)
Contact Us
To become a member,or for any other questions, please contact us at: gngMembership@yahoo.com
Webmaster's note:
For more information on nitrogen fixing, here are some suggested links:
Preparing a plot for winter - adding nutrients to the soil
GNG member, Catherine Rehe explains how she prepared her plot for the winter
"Late last summer, when I first obtained my own plot, it was a thick mess of grass, dandelions and so-called weeds. I had no knowledge of this particular plot's history, and it was suggested by Trevor Johnson to plant hairy vetch and rye to bring vital nutrients to the soil over winter.
"To start, I tilled the plot and let it sit for a couple weeks.
August 2009 - This tilled plot will be seeded with ground cover to prepare for the winter
"Then, I broadcast the vetch and rye simultaneously across the area. There was rain shortly after and there was no need to water much.
September 2009 -The growing ground cover consists of hairy vetch, and rye
"Almost immediately the vetch and rye showed their little sprouts and continued growing above and below the soil all winter. I now know this to be called "green manure", from one of my book sources for gardening.
"The melting of the snow brought to view the obvious remnants from the rabbits who had lived there during the colder months. More good stuff for the soil.
May 2010 - Close-up of the ground cover after the winter. Notice the absence of weeds.
"I have been interested in learning more about Biodynamic gardening philosophies, and purchased a few good books about this in early Spring. I loved the thought of working with the rhythms of nature and realize this is a life-long study chock full of marvelous ways to restore and revitalize the soil. Here I learned about double-digging the soil. This is the practice of digging down through two spade depths of soil, being careful not to mix the subsoil with the topsoil. Quite easy at GNG since there is clay under any topsoil. This process was labor intensive and we had to juggle working with rain, wind and cold weather. Our reward was the the hundreds of huge earthworms we unearthed and gently placed back in the soil to do their work.
May 2010 - Most of the plot has been tilled.
"As the wet soil started to dry out from all the rain we had this Spring, I began planting and sowing seeds; some with the rhythms of the lunar cycle, another Biodynamic practice. I know others are as interested as I am in how this little garden plot will fare this Summer."
Good Neighbors Garden, a community organization
www.GoodNeighborsGarden.org