Planting Season Well Underway
I am a somewhat unconventional gardener, but I do try to learn from my mistakes. Last year, I spent April vacation laying out my pathways in the garden, which looked beautiful, but I felt like some of the crops got in the ground too late. This year, I scheduled my plantings based on the last frost date---second week of May, and then worked around my schedule.
I am putting the pathways up as I go, and the final product doesn't so much match the graph paper, but who cares? It looks nice. I am using black fabric weed block to mark the large paths. Hopefully, I can get a hold of some inexpensive straw to cover them up. When I analyzed the garden from last year, I decided it was beautiful, but extremely costly. I am definitely not going to spend as much as last year!
So far, so good. Last week, I got the onion sets and shallots planted. And between yesterday and today, I planted snap peas, 3 kinds of lettuce, 3 kinds of kale, arugula, broccoli, spinach, collards, mustard greens, cress, and swiss chard.
And...my compost is terrific! This year, I am doing well using the compost. I have mixed it into the soil of everything I have planted, except the red onions (I cheated on that one and sprinkled it on the soil after I planted them.) Too bad it was full of ants. They do a wonderful job, but I am pretty sure I killed a few of them trying to keep them off of me. I try really hard to be a veganic gardener; sometimes, it is a little hard. (There were lots of worms in the compost too. I kept trying to keep them moist and not squish them when I am tamping down the soil.
The asparagus are just starting to peek their heads out, so I added compost to them this year, and watered them a little. I am staging an offensive on the aphids this year. Trying to be proactive and grow healthy plants...maybe they won't come...or maybe all those ladybugs will still be here.
Speaking of wild life coming back...Hoppy (the bunny---well, a bunny) is back. He was eating in the grass while I was struggling with the rain barrels. I think he might be eating the chives. All the tops are chopped off. So...I put a pinwheel in between them. Don't feel bad for him, there is plenty of grass and clover for him to eat.
Last week, I set up one rain barrel, so I had plenty of water to water my seeds. Only ran out at the very end. Then I daisy-chained 2 more barrels. Spent about an hour trying to get the middle one leveled, but never could do it, so it's cocked. Too bad. I was out there with my level and everything. It wasn't meant to be. Of course, the 3rd one is completely level, and I didn't even check that one! Go figure. I just need to doctor one more hose and I will have a rain barrel INSIDE the garden this year!!!!! WOOT!!!!! So looking forward to that. Watering made easy.
My back is aching, I'm exhausted, and there is a lot to do inside but a great, productive 2 days of gardening has happened. Look for pictures to follow.
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