**Area:** 16 ft × 28 ft (448 sq ft) | **Buckthorn:** 5 trees | **Date:** ___________ ## IMMEDIATE PREP (30 min) - [ ] Set up irrigation/sprinkler for easy access - [ ] Mow entire area as low as possible (easier than weed whacking if flat) - [ ] Rake out leaf litter and debris → remove from site - [ ] Take "before" photo from fixed position ## SEED MIXING (20 min) ### Base Mix (5-gallon bucket) - [ ] 800g buckwheat - [ ] 90g white Dutch clover - [ ] 20g crimson clover - [ ] 3 cups dry sand/compost - [ ] Mix 2 minutes until uniform ### Daikon Mix (parmesan container) - [ ] 240g daikon radish - [ ] 1/2 cup dry sand - [ ] Shake well in parmesan container ### Leafy Greens (small cups/containers) - [ ] Cup 1: 20g kale - [ ] Cup 2: 20g chard - [ ] Cup 3: 20g arugula - [ ] Cup 4: 7g kale + 7g chard + 6g arugula (chaos mix) ## FIELD EXECUTION (45 min) ### 1. Base Layer Application - [ ] Set broadcast spreader to medium-fine setting - [ ] Load base mix into hopper - [ ] **Pass 1:** Walk north-south at 2 mph steady pace - [ ] **Pass 2:** Walk east-west (perpendicular) same speed - [ ] Refill spreader as needed ### 2. Daikon Deployment (5 trees × 2 min each) For each buckthorn: - [ ] Visualize 3-ft radius circle - [ ] Shake parmesan container evenly within circle (like seasoning) - [ ] Extra shake directly at trunk base - [ ] Move to next tree ### 3. Leafy Green Rows (4 rows × 5 min each) **Row Placement Strategy:** - Rows 1-2: Inside weed tea zone - Row 3: Outside weed tea zone - Row 4 (chaos): Spanning tea boundary **Per Row:** - [ ] Lightly till 8-ft line with hand cultivator (4-6" wide, 1" deep) - [ ] Sprinkle seeds thin like parmesan - [ ] Gently press with hand (not foot yet) - [ ] Mark ends with sticks/stones labeled: K/C/A/X ### 4. Final Coverage - [ ] Ensure topsoil/compost is dry and screened fine - [ ] Set broadcast spreader to wider opening (heavier material) - [ ] Load ½ wheelbarrow worth into hopper - [ ] Make 2 passes like before (perpendicular) - [ ] This naturally provides walking compression - perfect! - [ ] Hand-spread any spots the spreader missed (edges, around trees) ## WATERING PROTOCOL ### Day 0 (Immediately after) - [ ] Gentle spray until surface moist (not puddled) - [ ] Note time: _______ ### Days 1-10 - [ ] Morning water if no overnight rain - [ ] Check for washout → refill bare spots immediately - [ ] NO FOOT TRAFFIC except watering path ### Days 11-21 - [ ] Water only if soil dry at 1" depth - [ ] Document germination by zone on map ## DOCUMENTATION SCHEDULE ### Weekly Tasks - [ ] Photo from same position/angle - [ ] Germination % by species/zone - [ ] Note which areas show stress/success - [ ] Measure tallest buckwheat height ### Key Observations to Track |Date|Buckwheat %|Clover %|Daikon visible?|Best leafy green|Tea vs No-tea| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Day 7|||||| |Day 14|||||| |Day 21|||||| |Day 30|||||| ## CRITICAL REMINDERS - **Weed tea timing is GOOD** - 36+ hours + rain = naturally diluted, proceed! - **NO additional undiluted weed tea on fresh seeds** - **Buckwheat flowers at 30-40 days** → decide: chop or seed - **Pull ANY buckthorn seedlings immediately** - **After buckthorn removal:** immediately seed bare spots ## SUCCESS MARKERS - Day 7: Buckwheat sprouting evenly - Day 14: No bare soil visible - Day 30: Flowering begins, clovers establishing - Day 60: Dense cover, leafy greens harvestable - Year 2: Reduced buckthorn vigor, easier pulling