Here at my Bedford, New York farm, we're expecting some cooler weather and hopefully a bit of rain over the weekend - good conditions for the recent over-seeding we did in my pastures.
I am very fortunate to have several paddocks where my horses and donkeys can graze. Late winter to spring is the best time to over-seed these areas. Not long ago, my outdoor grounds crew tackled two large enclosures. First, we used our Land Pride aerator to properly loosen the soil and prepare it for good drainage. Then we attached a commercial sized rotary-spin broadcast spreader to our Kubota tractor and distributed our custom high grade grass seed mix from Hancock Farm & Seed Company.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here is a wide view of one of my horse pastures. The best day to overseed is when there is little to no wind, so the application can be done as evenly as possible. This day was perfect – no wind, mild temperatures, and a beautiful blue sky.
The ground was already aerated with our Land Pride tow-behind aerator. I am glad to be able to have all the farm equipment we need to care for our fields. Here I am in front of our Kubota tractor with the aerator attachment behind me.
Here, one can see the holes left behind by the aerating spikes.
Our aerator makes slits in the ground as opposed to core plugs that are removed from the soil. The main reason for any aerating is to alleviate soil compaction. Compacted soils have too many solid particles in a certain volume or space, which prevents proper circulation of air, water, and nutrients. Aerating also improves drainage.
Our seed is from Hancock Farm & Seed Company, a 44-year old business that grows its own seed and ships directly from its Dade City, Florida facility.
Among the seed varieties we are using is this custom seed blend that includes orchard grass, tall fescue, and Timothy. Good quality grass is important for horses. It helps provide proper fiber requirements and keeps their digestive systems healthy.
Here’s a close look at the quality grass seed we use.
This is a 3-point spreader, which can be attached to a variety of tractors to spread seed or fertilizer. My outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring, hooks it up to the center rear of our Kubota M4-071 tractor.
Our spreader features an opening system with split levers that allow distribution control.
Chhiring fills the spreader with the first batch of seed.
And then he heads out to the pasture. The other end of the tractor has our trusted Kubota L1154 front loader that helps us transport so many things around the farm and cuts down plenty of time going back and forth to the Equipment Barn.
Chhiring starts by going around the field counter clockwise from the outer edge working inward. He also overlaps his passes, so he doesn’t miss any areas.
Broadcast spreaders distribute seed in a fan-like pattern in all directions and cover a wider area per pass than drop spreaders. As the tractor moves, the fan throws the seed that falls out of the bottom of the spreader.
Over-seeding is a process where grass seed is added to an already existing area which after germination serves to increase the density of the grass plants. This process reduces the aging process or natural decline of the turf.
One can see the seed level in the spreader – it holds enough for this entire enclosure.
Looking closely at the ground, one can see the tiny seeds.
Meanwhile, Cesar is in another enclosure distributing seed by hand over some bare spots in the goose yard. Everything starts from a seed. Choosing high quality varieties truly makes a difference for my grazing water fowl and equines.
Once Chhiring is done with this pasture, he will move onto an adjacent field that also needs some over-seeding.
The entire process takes a couple of hours to do, but it is well worth it to make sure my pastures are seeded with the best grass possible.
These particular paddocks will remain empty for a couple of weeks until the seeds germinate and grow – and then they’ll be beautiful, lush, and ready for grazing once again.
Tomatoes, Solanum lycopersicum, have long been one of America’s favorite garden vegetables. Those bold red, sun-ripened tomatoes bring on the taste of summer with every bite. And, they’re filled with excellent antioxidants and vitamins.
Just a handful of healthy plants can produce a bounty of delicious fruits within six to eight weeks. The best time to plant tomatoes is when daytime temperatures are consistently above 65-degrees Fahrenheit. Last week the weather was perfect and my gardeners planted our tomato crop - about 120-plants. Many of them were grown from seed right here in my greenhouse. They're all doing excellently in my new large half-acre garden.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here are some of the season’s young tomato plants ready to go into our beds. We always start our tomatoes from seed in my greenhouse. We don’t use any pesticides or chemicals of any kind, so we know we’re nurturing the highest quality plants. We always grow an abundance of tomatoes – I love to share them with family and friends and use them to make all the delicious tomato sauce we enjoy through the year. This season, we also have tomato plants that were gifted to me by a friend and some from one of our trusted growers.
Phurba is bringing all of the plants into our new half-acre vegetable garden. Everyone here at the farm gets so excited for the planting of our tomatoes.
Ryan decides how many tomato plants will be planted in each bed. He takes into consideration how big each plant gets and how much room each plant needs to grow properly. Here he is measuring the width of the bed to determine how many rows can fit.
Then Ryan sets all the plants in the rows where they will be planted, making sure all the plants are equally spaced along the bed.
To ensure all the plants are spaced equally, Ryan uses a two foot long piece of bamboo as a marker.
Meanwhile, Phurba starts planting. Here he is digging the hole for one of the plants. Each hole is at least eight to 10-inches deep.
Transplanted tomatoes that are kept free of weeds for the first four to eight weeks can usually outcompete emerging weeds later. Most tomato plant varieties need about 100-days to mature, but there are some that only need 50-60 days. One can also stagger plantings for early, mid, and late season tomato harvests.
Phurba teases the roots of each tomato plant before putting into the ground. This stimulates growth.
And then each plant is carefully placed into the hole and backfilled. All these beds were already well fertilized when we put in the soil. The best fertilizer for tomato plants contains a relatively low concentration of nitrogen. High nitrogen content promotes the growth of stem and leaves, but not the fruit and flowers. Instead, tomato plants use phosphorous and potassium to produce fruit. Apply the fertilizer before the tomato plant is placed in the hole. A fertilizer with a 5-10-5 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium is good for the young plants.
Because these beds were all tilled and filled with new soil, Phurba is able to plant pretty quickly.
Two-thirds of the plant should be underground, meaning all but the two top most leaf sets should be buried. Planting deeply helps the plant to develop more roots, and more roots mean more ability to take up water and nutrients.
Keep in mind, the stronger root system also helps the plant better survive the hot weather. This applies to tomatoes planted in the ground, in a raised bed or in a container.
Here, Phurba looks across the bed to make sure the tomato plants are all in line.
Meanwhile, Pete is working on a trellis for all our growing peas. Here he is cutting rebar to use as posts. I decided that would be the strongest material that would last year after year.
Rebar, short for “reinforcing bar” or “reinforcement bar”, is a metal bar often used with concrete settings. It is inexpensive and can be found at building supply shops.
Pete measures the rebar going into the long bed – it should be 73-inches exactly.
Here is a row of rebar secured to the side of the middle garden box.
And here it is with the fencing he put up – an easy way to support the vining pea plants.
This is galvanized wire fencing. It’s easy to find in six foot rolls. We placed it on both sides of the long center bed – it’s perfect for the growing peas.
And here’s Phurba almost done planting our tomatoes – most of the large garden beds are now filled.
As with all our plants, they’re all given a good drink of water once they’re in the ground.
This garden is looking so wonderful. I can’t wait until our first big harvest!
We're making lots of progress with our long list of late spring chores here at my farm.
This time of year can be very hectic - my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew are busy keeping up with all the rapid growth in the garden beds. Many days are spent mowing the fields, trimming and pruning the hedges and shrubs, tending the vegetable and flower gardens - and of course, weeding and watering. Last week, the crew tackled the terraces outside my Winter House - clipping and grooming the bright golden barberry.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here I am earlier this month grooming one of the boxwood shrubs outside my stable with one of my favorite tools, my STIHL HSA 26 battery-powered garden shears. I always instruct my crew to “use the right tool for the right job,” and this handy garden tool is perfect for clipping and shaping the boxwood here at the farm.
It’s also perfect for trimming the bright golden barberry outside my Winter House. This is my upper terrace parterre, where I have four quadrants, each with a large boxwood shrub surrounded by a square hedge of boxwood and golden barberry. This is a look before the barberry is trimmed.
One can see the growth here. It definitely needs some shaping and grooming, but I am so pleased with how well it is doing.
Golden barberry, Berberis thunbergii, is a deciduous shrub that is compact, adaptable, very hardy and shows off striking small, golden yellow oblong leaves.
At least once a year, we groom and prune the boxwood and the golden barberry. Both are known for being robust when grown under lots of sun. Golden barberry also takes on its brightest coloring if it gets at least six hours of direct sun a day.
STIHL makes a lot of wonderful and dependable garden tools, but the hand-held HSA 26 garden shears is what I use most when I prune and groom. It comes in this easy-to-carry case, so all the accessories can be safely transported from one area to another.
Here it is unrolled – it contains the shears, the two blade attachments, the battery, and the charger.
The battery on the right is small, light, and fits into the handle of the tool.
The hedge shear attachment with double-sided cutting blades cuts in both directions. Phurba starting on the golden barberry, which has a moderate growth rate of about one foot annually.
Phurba likes to use this attachment for the tops of the barberry, which is trimmed so it is just a few inches taller than the boxwood.
Here, one can see how precise and clean the cuts are using the shears. Phurba goes over the top lightly again to make sure everything is straight and level. One can see the area he has trimmed and the area he still has to do.
The tool’s two blades are easy to switch. Phurba just removes the hedge shear from the bottom. Here is a view of the motor inside.
And then here is the grass shear cutting attachment. This blade is about four-and-a-half inches wide and has a cutting width of about 12-centimeters.
Phurba likes to use this blade for the sides of the barberry which are also showing lots of growth.
The grass shear trims the barberry very precisely and is so easy to maneuver. Occasionally, Phurba stops to look at the work he has done and to make sure it is straight and well aligned with hedges in the other quadrants.
Phurba is able to switch the blades easily as he works.
Once everything is trimmed, the terrace looks so much better – all the hedges are all level around the boxwood and each other. This view looks at the two north quadrants of the upper terrace parterre.
And here is a look at all four quadrants with my antique sugar pot in the center. Sugar kettles were used on 19th century Louisiana plantations for the production of sugar. In the winter, I use it as a fire pit when entertaining. The terrace looks great – and “check,” another task is completed from our long list.
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