What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Zeedman]

The home plots were dry enough to work in, so DW & I took down all of the trellises & poles from last year. It rained a little afterward, but not much. Hopefully I will be able to mow & chop up all vegetation & mulch (and some bagged leaves left over from the Fall) in preparation for tilling it all under.

 

[seedcorn]

Today was weed out the butterfly garden. I HATE CRAB GRASS! Pulled runners 1-2’ Long.

 

[TwinCitiesPanda]

I've been working outside a few hours a day on whatever catches my fancy. There is so much to do out there. I do my yardwork like my housework, all tasks at once! Mow a patch, get distracted by a tree, oh I should clean out that flower bed, maybe a trellis can go over there, oh hey look, a lawnmower! Oh. I was mowing. Right.

Three big tasks:
(1) removing invasive burdock and some mysterious other thorny plant from a massive area (20' deep and 600' long). I cleared a 10x20 area and thats my defensible area for this year. I am covering the area with grass clippings to try and keep down new growth. I raked up as many burdock pods as I could. The mysterious thorny plant spreads by rhizomes, it'll be harder to stop I think.

(2) moving wood to the front gardens. There are lots of cut rounds and pieces the former owners left in the area now inhabited by the thorny disaster mentioned above. Honestly its the only thing that motivated me to start clearing it. I'm hauling all these logs in my garden wagon up the steep hill to the front yard. They will be used for bed borders and decoration to hold pots and such. Some are already rotting/breaking down, so I'll add those into the beds to break down.

(3) killing grass! I'm using grass clippings and cardboard to kill grass and merge a bunch of trees planted throughout the front and back lawns into large beds. Fruit trees and shrubs will be moving into these spaces, and eventually some perennial herbs and flowers. I'm changing 3 acres of grass to a permaculture food forest...eventually. Also some isolated trees are getting grass mulched to their drip lines to give them more space, currently grass grows right up to their bases.

Meanwhile in the basement I now have peas, purple cauliflower, brussels sprouts, romanesco broccoli, kale, onions, garlic chives, and basil going. I am expecting my peat plugs this weekend and will be getting peppers and tomatoes going then.

 

[TEG Project Manager]

It is a new season. What did you do in the garden today, yesterday, last week ?

Two backyard beds have been covered with the temporary hoop house. Seed for Asian greens and escarole has been sown; bok choy transplants have gone in. The flower beds around the house have been cleaned up.

I have now begun in the little veggie garden by leveling a few beds cultivated last year, fertilizing, and planting some seed potatoes, onion sets and pea seed.

What did you do in your gardens ?

Steve

Great topic! It sure is a great thread to refer to when you're planning to do some gardening and you need some suggestions. Congrats on getting featured on our homepage!

 

[ducks4you]

@TwinCitiesPanda ,
I get distracted on MY property, too.

 

[Zeedman]

The soil in my home plots was dry enough to work a little, so mowed & chopped everything. Made a quick tiller pass to turn in the chopped debris & break the patches of grass loose (from last year's mulch). It's been a few years since I was able to break ground this early, I hope that bodes well for the future.

 

[TwinCitiesPanda]

@Zeedman the snow finally left this morning! Its warming up but still too wet to mow here, maybe tomorrow. I was thinking about direct-sowing my carrots, turnips, radishes, and beets today. Do you think its too early?

 

[flowerbug]

just heading outside to do actual real stuff for a change! wish me luck.

 

[ducks4you]

@Zeedman , Nope. Get 'em in the ground.

 

[Zeedman]

@Zeedman the snow finally left this morning! Its warming up but still too wet to mow here, maybe tomorrow. I was thinking about direct-sowing my carrots, turnips, radishes, and beets today. Do you think its too early?

Not too early, provided that the just-melted snow has not left the soil unworkable. I'm guessing that your soil is sandier than mine, and better drained.

I can't imagine my gardens drying out that fast. The silt/clay loam is very fertile, but really holds onto the water; it takes a good week of dry weather for it to dry out enough to till. I'm just breaking the surface so far, to enable it to dry faster. The wind is helping, I'll give it another quick pass today.