Soil components

As we mentioned in the Keys to Success, the second key component is Mel's Mix.  Here's our core components for the mix as it was delivered to the house.  A rather large amount of work awaited getting the three mixed and into the raised beds.  The compost alone was 4 cubic yards.  For our mathematical calculations, I calculated the Peat Moss to expand to double it's size, but that's not really the case.  I had to get more Peat before we were done and by my estimate, Peat only expands to about 1 1/2 times it's compressed size.  Nonetheless, the mix got done!

Golden Rules

The following are the Golden Rules we employ in our garden:

1. Plant only what you eat.  Do not plant any vegetable or fruit that you don't eat at present.  Assuming you'll develop a taste for it, is a fool's errand.
2. Don't fight Mother Nature. Nature always wins. Work with nature, not against it. 
3. Stay organized.  Confusion will kill motivation.  It's essential to know what we plant and when so some planning will go a long way towards keeping things straight.

Keys to Success

1. Raised beds
2. Mel's Mix
3. Compost
4. Trellissing