Kids Garden Class 2017

[thistlebloom]

Last Saturday most of the kids came for the garden cleanup day.
Only four missed the fun.

Last fall we popped the strings on all the straw bales and spread the straw out. I had so many bales in a small garden that it was nearly a foot deep, so a lot had to be removed to be able to plant this spring.
We had a nice dry day for a change and most of the kids got busy putting straw on tarps so it could be dragged off.

I had marked out some rough beds with stakes and baling twine so they could remove the straw from them and leave the straw in the aisles for weed suppression. "But I like pulling weeds" exclaimed one girl. I should have gotten it in writing, I bet her parents would have payed me a lot for it.

The straw was saturated and heavy and I told them to be careful about putting too much on a tarp or it would be tough pulling.

Then I watched with interest as the boys made a straw Mount Everest on their tarp. I couldn't have scripted it any better. They tugged and grunted and pulled and rearranged their order for maximum efficiency. They thought it might be easier to lift the tarp instead of dragging it...nope...they tugged and panted and groaned some more.
I finally suggested they remove some of the straw and try again.
Ohhh, this is going to be a funny summer.

Meanwhile, the girls were manicuring their beds. Daintily raking neat lines parallel with the twine, and lifting out stones. Patting down the straw in the walkways so it wouldn't be lumpy.

The boys were satisfied with their efforts so I got them going on my half of the garden. I had popped the bales last fall but hadn't spread the straw out. So they all joined in and made short work of it. The girls had to be dragged away from primping their beds and made to help the boys.

All the excess straw got hauled over and spread under the apple trees. The division of labor happened naturally here, the boys hauled and the girls spread. They figured this out themselves, I just told them what needed to be done.

We took the soil temperature before we started. It was about 44 degrees F under the straw. Out in the open ground it was 40F.
I thought that was interesting.

 

[Carol Dee]

YEP this will be fun. I will be watching.

 

[ninnymary]

I like how they are old enough to really help out. They can do all the work themselves pretty much. So this time you are planting in the ground?

Mary

 

[Smart Red]

Gotta love those little people! So lucky - both you and kids that they have this opportunity.

 

[majorcatfish]

@thistlebloom does your landscaping crew have work experience permits? googled your house it's the only one with a really green lawn in the whole town.
will be at "country boy" 5/6/2017 to talk over about leasing them out this fall. you will be able to recognize me will be in my wngd attire.....

on a serious note glad to see youngsters learning...good job keep it up....

 

[thistlebloom]

I like how they are old enough to really help out. They can do all the work themselves pretty much. So this time you are planting in the ground?

Mary

Oh yes! Definitely in the ground this year. There were hundreds of earthworms under the straw breaking it down. That was nice to see.

@thistlebloom does your landscaping crew have work experience permits? googled your house it's the only one with a really green lawn in the whole town.
will be at "country boy" 5/6/2017 to talk over about leasing them out this fall. you will be able to recognize me will be in my wngd attire.....

on a serious note glad to see youngsters learning...good job keep it up....

You weren't serious about meeting at the Country Boy?
Because if you were going to "wear" your WNGD outfit I was going to wear my Helen Keller eyeballs.

 

[seedcorn]

WNGD outfit? Do I want to know? If it was @Nyboy i know I wouldnt want to know.

 

[thistlebloom]

I mis-spoke. I forgot guys don't wear outfits, they wear clothes, but in this case it's a moot point what you call it because no matter what you call it - outfit, clothes, apparel, it won't actually be worn.
The date Major specified is World Naked Gardening Day.
So I guess you really didn't want to know after all.

 

[Nyboy]

WNGD outfit? Do I want to know? If it was @Nyboy i know I wouldnt want to know.

I was just thing of the time I met my friends for dinner wearing overalls. Was told NOT a good look for me

 

[seedcorn]

Here I thought I just had to be wary of @Nyboy posts & @majorcatfish , now add @thistlebloom . Here I just come to learn about gardening techniques, new plants, etc..... now naked gardening days with men.....yuck!