Viewing post #1296649 by Newyorkrita

robynanne said:Here is the new area for the ramps/beans/chard.


The long area on the east side of the shed is for full sun beans. There will be 8 ft trellis poles along there in the spring. The beans will grow up that over the summer and create the forest effect of the leaves filling in and giving the ramps more and more shade over the weeks. Based on the ramp growing studies, it looks like they need the sun in the spring to sprout, but need the shade over the summer to not die. Makes sense with their natural home being in a maple/birch forest floor. The middle is for the ramps and the long side on the west is for chard which will be able to take the afternoon sun but can handle larger amounts of shade. (I considered bok choy too.. still considering but I don't have any seeds for those.)

The whole thing is covered with a couple inches of loose hay and then raked maple leaves on top of that. The study said to give them lots of falling leave cover so I used the hay before I had the leaves, but I'm hoping that this will give them some nice mulch/compost as the hay and leaves break down into the dirt, and it will stop the grass and weeds from growing before the ramps can take over.

Any feedback is welcome!

That looks very nice. I honestly don't know what ramps need so can't comment or help with that.

I do know that hay makes a very nice mulch and of course does eventually break down and enrich the soil.

As to the chard verses the bok choi, I think you made the wiser decision. The chard will keep growing all spring and summer. Bok Choi is a short season crop, It grows and you have to harvest it all before it bolts with some warm weather. And that's it, it is done. You can't replant as it doesn't grow in the heat, it is very picky about temps.