Fruits, Roots, Leaves...and Fallow
Why Roots, Fruits, and Leaves? And what does Fallow mean? Like a lot of things in Charlottesville, it all goes back to Jefferson. We can see Monticello from our garden site, so our design is decidedly Jeffersonian - from the Octagon shaped gathering area, to the South Orchard and berry squares (we call these our Food Forest). For his vegetables, Jefferson had a 1,000 foot vegetable garden on the East side of Monticello. Jefferson's 1812 vegetable layout was based on what part of the plant you were going to eat: Fruits, Roots, and Leaves. It just so happens that this is a pretty good layout for crop rotation. We decided to add a Fallow bed to our rotation. We think Jefferson would like that innovation. Fallow means resting, so this is where we will grow plants that replenish the soil like clover, sorghum, sunflowers, daikon radish, etc. Every spring we will rotate the location up the hill one step, and the item grown at the top of the hill will rotate to the bottom of the hill.
Want to know what's currently growing in each bed? Below is a listing starting from the bottom of the hill going up.
Fallow
Planted with Rye along with Zinnias, Balsam, and Forget-Me-Nots
Leaves
Lettuce in the expansion bed that has gone to seed. Basil on the school side, Spinach, Lettuce, and empty closest to the Octagon in the main bed.
Roots
Potatoes on the Octagon side, Carrots in the middle, Empty on the School side. Sweet Potatoes in the expansion bed.
Fruits
Popcorn closest to the Octagon. Tomatoes on the ladders. Under the ladder closest to the Octagon is cucumbers. Under the other ladder is squash of various types. Closest to the school is cotton. In the expansion bed is Parsley that has gone to seed.
Want to know what's currently growing in each bed? Below is a listing starting from the bottom of the hill going up.
Fallow
Planted with Rye along with Zinnias, Balsam, and Forget-Me-Nots
Leaves
Lettuce in the expansion bed that has gone to seed. Basil on the school side, Spinach, Lettuce, and empty closest to the Octagon in the main bed.
Roots
Potatoes on the Octagon side, Carrots in the middle, Empty on the School side. Sweet Potatoes in the expansion bed.
Fruits
Popcorn closest to the Octagon. Tomatoes on the ladders. Under the ladder closest to the Octagon is cucumbers. Under the other ladder is squash of various types. Closest to the school is cotton. In the expansion bed is Parsley that has gone to seed.