This week's column is more of a rant than an advice column. The realities of life facilitate my dream of a perfectly regular growing season.
First, I'm still experimenting with the best time to plant seedlings in the light. I installed an LED light rack in our oven and it turned out to be the perfect place to grow tomatoes, peppers and winter crops.
Planting starts in early February to give peppers and onions more time to germinate. I also planted some lovely seasonal plants that I hope to plant in early April. They all sprouted quicker than I expected and soon I had a bunch of plants growing out of their space. There are still two months left before planting.
Then, after the snow melted, I realized that before I could grow anything in my backyard, I had to repair five 4-by-12-foot beds that were built 12 years ago from wood purchased from a neighbor. . The deck has been saved. Repeat.
Before I could start this project, I had to wait for the soil to thaw, which lasted until mid-April. The result was no initial release and I had to find a way to keep my start for another month. In early May, the soil temperature was still below 40 degrees, which was not conducive for planting seeds and seedlings. However, the chicken coop is growing rapidly.
The box has been rebuilt but I think I will have to rebuild the water system to keep it working. At least my firewood costs half what it cost last year, but it's a small pile of wood for the money I'm spending.
The irrigation system is simpler and a bit cheaper as I used to keep accessories from other projects on hand and had most of the parts on hand. There are advantages to being both a scavenger and a baby rat. Amidst these projects, my 70-year-old body reminded me that I was no longer a spring girl and that projects would never be finished in my mind. To hell with the torpedoes, go full speed ahead.
In addition to my home garden, I still have to weed and mulch my community garden, where I grow corn, squash, and potatoes, before the weeds start growing. My plan is to mulch the entire bed and leave room for plants. Mulching in this way will reduce the labor invested all summer long to cut off intruding weed heads. Unfortunately, this mission will be an endless battle. The wind won't get rid of it. You learn to live with it and it becomes one of the biggest challenges in life.
Finally, there is the constant battle with our squirrels and bird feeders, but that is a topic for another article.
