I worked in the garden yesterday from 3-8, planting and planning, and putting up anti-weed devices. I could barely move this morning, but was determined to get everything in today. I had to buy 6 more seedlings (eggplant) but was at the garden by 11, just in time to spend time with my 3 yo niece, Greta. Greta asked me about seeds and told me she doesn't like to eat them. She also told me that she likes parsnips and announced that she did NOT step on my knee pad. She passed me seedlings, showed me how high she can jump, and then announced she wanted to take her shoes off.
What I love about gardening with my nieces and nephews are the conversations we have about seeds, plants, and veggies. She actually asked good questions and sat there patiently while she watched me dig holes and plant. Under her watchful eye I planted carrots, parsnips, and eggplants. While I watch them grow, I will think of the morning I spent her with her in the garden.
I'm not a big fan of mulch in the open area of my garden, which is why I am using newspaper and garden paper instead. However, in the area where my boxes are, I'm okay with mulch. I'm trying to grow organic veggies, and mulch is covered in chemicals, which is the opposite of organic. Last year I wanted to lay down the black paper and then cover it with mulch, but was told that's not what the paper is for. This year, however, I threw conventional advice out the window and did it my way.
I raked up the remaining mulch from last year and piled it between the strawberry boxes. Then I took my last row of black paper and rolled it out between the boxes. I hauled about 8 wheelbarrow loads of mulch over to the boxed area and slowly spread it around.
My hope is that the mulch will not mix with the dirt because it's covered in paper but also that the weeds will not come up because of the paper. It all hinges on that paper.
Pictured above is my newly mulched box area. I think it looks pretty good.
In the boxes to the far right:
Box 1 & 2: corn, potatoes, and yellow beans
Box 3: tomatoes
In the boxes on the left:
Box 1: pumpkin, eggplant, and red pepper
Box 2: parsnips, carrots, sugar peas, spinach, lettuce mix
Box 3: tomatoes
In the boxes below:
Boxes 1-3: Strawberries!
My garden is divided in two halves. To the right of this picture are the 9 boxes. Then I have a large open area for the big plants to grow with abandon. On this half I am growing sunflowers (against the wall), zucchini, summer squash, cantaloupe, cucumbers, butternut squash, mint, lavender, bachelor buttons, daisies, and parsley.
The Garden 2012: