March 16, 2008
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Great weekend.
I got the garden sorted out. I moved the White Crepe Myrtle and the Spirea to their final locations. It was quite a dig. I had to get help with the bush, there were no good branches for holding like the Crepe, so Dwayne came out and picked it up for me, then cussed at the dirt on his shoes. I like getting him out there and dirty, I think because it bothers him so much. It had rained for two days and so the earth was heavy and moist. The earthworms were out in full effect, I gathered them and had the children gather them and throw them in the compost bin. The birds can get their meal elsewhere!
I emptied the wooden raised bed and broke it inadvertently, I am sure I can get Ben to fix it, this time we will use brackets instead of nails.
I used the soil from Bean Hill and the wooden bed to fill four potato boxes about 5 inches deep. We planted the potatoes today, Yukon gold. There were nine seed potatoes so one box got three, the kids planted the box with three. I had told Georgia to be really careful because the seed had already sprouted. She was so careful you would have thought she was handling an egg. Dylan just aimed for the hole and threw it in there with a smile.
I trimmed the damaged Pink Crepe Myrtle that suffered the frost and had split it bark like an over cooked bratwurst during a late spring frost. I think I will use the wood to make creative supports for the KY Pole beans. I also pruned the White Crepe before I transplanted, so I got some nice wood from that too. So 5 poles altogether. I will buy more compost to fill the wooden raised beds and build a pile for adding to the potatoes. I even have a nice spot picked out for storing the extra dirt. I can’t wait!!
The seeds that I planted last week are growing along. The kids are fascinated daily at the progress.I have not drawn up a solid plan of where everything will go like I have in the past, I really plan on successive planting this year, I want to have things in constant harvest, as much as possible. I want to “plant an row” for the hungry too. I think I am more ambitious than last year. If that is even possible.
There is one more unfortunately event that must take place and that it the complete removal of the top three inches of soil from about a 6X12 area. There are these really bastardly weeds that sprout under ground vines and create a web of roots that are impenetrable. There are also canes of Blackberry sprouting even out into the grass. I don’t even know how to irradicate them. The yard is so small and I would love to keep a small manageable bit of the canes, but I feel they will out do my best efforts. S removal in in order. I certainly don’t want these things cropping up in my carrots, stealing precious moisture. I think I will look into a rototiller rental, and get Dwayne to use it. Perfect!Seeds:
One week of progress
Transplant site:
New home, I trasnplanted the tall on the right and the small bush in the front.
You can also see the Crepe on the left has been pruned near the trunk. The left over wood sticks are leaning on the fence. This arrangement will really mask the composter.
Potato boxes, the last one on the right is the one the kids planted.
