**Area:** 4,000-6,000 sq ft | **Timeline:** 2 years | **Method:** Biological --- ## MONTHLY ROUTINE (April-October) ### Weed Tea Production - [ ] Run 8 containers × 32 gallons - [ ] Harvest Day 14: ~100 gallons liquid + 80 gallons solids - [ ] Save 20 gallons liquid as starter - [ ] Spread 100 gallons liquid across entire area - [ ] Spread all solids as thin mulch layer --- ## YEAR 1 SCHEDULE ### July-August (Prep Phase) - [ ] Level all clay areas - fill holes, spread piles - [ ] Keep area mowed short (3") - [ ] Apply monthly weed tea - [ ] Clear any woody vegetation ### Late August (Week 3-4) - [ ] Final mowing to 2" - [ ] Broadcast seed mix: - Daikon radish (5 lbs per 1000 sq ft) - Beets (2 lbs per 1000 sq ft) - Crimson clover (1 lb per 1000 sq ft) - White clover (0.5 lb per 1000 sq ft) - [ ] Lightly rake in - [ ] Water to establish ### September-October - [ ] Let cover crops grow (no mowing!) - [ ] Continue monthly weed tea - [ ] Watch daikon form thick taproots - [ ] Document growth with photos ### November (After Hard Frost) - [ ] Cover crops will die back naturally - [ ] Apply wood chips: **4-6 inches thick** - [ ] Chips go OVER dead plant material - [ ] Source: tree services often deliver free ### December-March - [ ] Do nothing - let freeze/thaw work - [ ] Snow + chips = perfect decomposition environment --- ## YEAR 2 SCHEDULE ### April - [ ] Resume monthly weed tea - [ ] Check chip depth - add 2-3" if compressed below 3" - [ ] Plant directly through mulch if desired ### May-October - [ ] Monthly weed tea continues - [ ] Maintain 3-4" chip depth minimum - [ ] Can plant annuals/perennials through mulch ### November - [ ] Add 2-3" fresh chips where needed - [ ] Total should stay 4"+ --- ## WOOD CHIP NOTES ### Initial Application (Year 1) - **Thickness:** 4-6 inches - **Type:** Mixed tree species, not all walnut - **Coverage:** Entire area after cover crops die ### Maintenance Applications - **Year 2:** Add 2-3" (once, fall) - **Year 3+:** Add 2" annually or as needed - **Goal:** Maintain 3-4" minimum depth ### Why This Works - Chips + dead roots create air channels - Fungal networks develop in wood layer - Worms pull decomposed material down - Clay particles aggregate into crumbs --- ## SIGNS OF SUCCESS ### Year 1 - Daikon holes visible after decomposition - Earthworms appearing - Chips starting to break down - Soil darker at surface ### Year 2 - Can push finger into soil easily - Defined layer of dark soil forming - Established worm population - Plants thriving in mulch ### Year 3 - 4-6" of genuine topsoil - Clay below is crumbly, not solid - Self-sustaining system - No more need for intensive inputs --- ## TOTAL INPUTS NEEDED ### Seeds (for 5,000 sq ft) - 25 lbs daikon radish (annual - replant each fall) - 10 lbs beets (annual - replant spring & fall) - 5 lbs crimson clover (annual - replant each fall) - 2.5 lbs white clover (perennial - plant once!) ### Wood Chips - Year 1: 1,400-2,000 cubic feet (50-75 cubic yards) - Year 2: 550-800 cubic feet (20-30 cubic yards) - Year 3+: 400-550 cubic feet (15-20 cubic yards) annually _For 4,000 sq ft: 4-6" = 1,333-2,000 cubic feet initially_ ### Labor - 1 day monthly for weed tea - 1 day for seeding - 2-3 days for chip spreading (or hire delivery + spreading) --- ## KEY PRINCIPLES 1. **Never till** - Let biology do the work 2. **Keep covered** - Bare soil = reset to clay 3. **Feed regularly** - Monthly tea = active biology 4. **Be patient** - Trust the process ## PLANT BEHAVIOR GUIDE **White Clover** (Perennial) - Survives winter under mulch - Spreads and fills gaps - Your permanent living mulch - Only plant once! **Crimson Clover** (Annual) - Dies after flowering/frost - Excellent nitrogen fixer - Replant each fall **Daikon Radish** (Annual) - Dies at hard frost (25°F) - Leaves huge holes in clay - Replant spring and fall **Beets** (Annual) - Harvest or let freeze - Good eating + soil improvement - Replant spring and fall **Buckwheat** (Annual - if used) - Frost kills it instantly - Won't come back through mulch - Not in our mix but FYI This method has transformed clay to soil for centuries. Your weed tea just accelerates it.