Checked the hops today, growing very well. As are the rest of my garden plants so far.
I did an experiment this year with raised row gardens. It’s basically a row of manure over the tilled soil, then covered with straw, then top soil, I chose loads of potting soil from the local green house because I could get 3 tons for 25 bucks, then planted and then cover around the plants with a thick layer of straw. Top straw layer acts as both a weed suppression device and slows water loss due to evaporation. The manure/straw sub layer composts and acts as a constant fertilizer to the plants. Plants were planted using the companion gardening theory. Basically, you ignore normal plant spacing and you alternate plant types, putting a plant that uses different nutrients than the plant next to it does.
I then tilled a section right next to the rows and planted a normal garden, planted the same day. So far, the raised row is out growing the traditional garden. Same day planted, plants from the same containers.
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