The wind ripped up the plastic.....now it's 'Plan B'

[moonwolf]

I had earlier posted pictures of the plastic I had securely placed over a new garden area to 'solarize' for several weeks prior to pre planting.
Well, a high wind storm took care of that idea over the last 2 days. Ripped up the plastic and actuall was powerful enough to lift several 8 foot 2 x 6 boards laying over the plastic like toys. Well, that's that.!

So....I'm simply forced to kick into a more 'fast track' of the original plan. The plastic was down only 2 weeks, which was not long enough to kill the growth underneath. I removed the plastic, and set my mower deck on 1.5 inches to cut as low as possible the undergrowth and produce a bit of mulch to have for a base so I could next sew buckwheat.

The area untouched by the wind was left, and 4,000 sq. ft. of buckwheat which I sewed on the rest to get going before it hopefully rains over the next couple days to germinate. That should compete with what grass might have started and within 3 weeks that will be cut to mulch.
All is not lost, nor set back really. I'd intended to uncover the plastic and mulch, then plant the buckwheat for green manure. So, once the buckwheat grows and cut to mulch, by then I'll be having a good amount of mulch over the entire garden and begin setting in some places to put transplants.
Now, I just need lots and lots of compost.
Gardening sometimes can be warlike. We shall see if buckwheat and determination will win over wind and whatever else nature will bring about.
At least my seed potatoes are nicely planted under the 'no till' mulch, and I put in an extra row of an early harvest variety called 'Superior'. Maybe by mid July there will be some tasty new potatoes to 'no dig' out.

[elkhound]

get us some pic's of the buckwheat as it grows and before and after shots of it when you cut...please.i think what you are doing is interesting.we seem to think a bit a like on a lot of things.i will get a few pic's of my "woods garden" if it works out.also what do you think of putting fresh cut grass over potatoes/??? will it cook them since it is green??or do i need to let it dry out and brown a bit beofre i put it around them.just want to try a few things out on a few plants to see what i like and dont like .

[elkhound]

by the way..got my potato patch put out today.planted half a bag...kennebec in this patch.but wil put out some red pontiac for earlier use also.boy things just seem tog etting bigger and bigger....lol...also expanded the vidalia patch from 60ish plants to over 150ish.....lol...onions away