Well it’s that time of the year, for most of us that means getting our hands in the soil. So I bring to you a little bit of spring gardening. We use organic methods when ever possible and mostly raised beds as we sit on top nothing but gravel.
First here are my tools. Its all manual labour and getting harder to do every year. By Spring all of the previous vegetation that was worked into the beds and covered by hay for the winter is all composted.
After removing the hay I turn and work the soil. Then a light raking to smooth things over.
Now the bed is ready for planting. Some of my beds with more tender seeds or plants I use a row cover to help ward off a few degrees of frost and hold moister. The bed with the leaves on it has garlic coming up that was planted the previous fall.
Healthy soil should be full of lots of earth worms. These are the guys that helped with the composting under the hay during the winter.
Also a friend to the garden is the garden snake which I have lots of.
As you can see my bulbs are only just coming up and there are no leaves yet. The grass is just turning green. Quiet a difference from when it is so full of color in the summer.
Well here I am in the middle of weeding and getting rid of last years vegetation in my 30’ perennial flower bed. For the 1st time I am no longer able to stretch across the bed to do the work. So I am sitting on a little stool right in the middle. My rule for years had been you never ever walked in the bed. Well times have changed and I must now adapt. I also have a very bad neck from it popping out way back in January so I wear a neck brace when ever working.
Took a few passes down the bed but finally got it all ready for the summer. Threw in a few more annual and wildflower seeds just to see what comes, but generally the perennials take over the whole bed. I also use grass clippings all summer on all my beds to reduce moister loss. The next bed still has a tiny spot of ice left. I will be working on the shade beds around the house next. They are all lined with fuchsia coloured primrose that will be the 1st of my flowers to bloom early May.
Container planting has begun with wildflower seed mixes I save every year. My 1st to plant is always my old wheel barrel. I put the plastic over many of my containers to keep the soil moist and heat it up for germination. Only a few days and the seeds are already sprouting.
So my friends its back to the garden for me where lots of work still has to be done.
I haven’t even started in the greenhouse as we have had such beautiful few days I wanted spend it outside.
So may your gardens bring you joy and beauty as well as a nutritional supply of food.
Good Morning… Good Afternoon… Good Night…
Whatever it is to you…
Photos & Words
by
Here I Am/Carrie
