 |
| The plot thickens |
My first summer I tried a little sprinkler, but it didn't work quite right so I switched to flooding small ditches. It worked alright but took a long time and didn't cover things well.
The next summer I think is when I got a perforated hose from ACE thinking I'd be able to wind it around the plants and it would work great. I don't really remember much of this summer, except this might be the year Leila helped me with some of the cultivating.
Last summer I used the hose again, but this time I decided to a) expand the garden; b) switch up where I planted things, c) plant things I'd never grown before and were completely foreign, d) try to make some sort of rows or mounds or something depending on the plant.
What I learned, broccoli is surprisingly hearty, lettuce grows ok but get's bitter when too big and the arugula or whatever that was grows like a weed. Spreads like a weed to, but boy does that stuff survive. End result up close the garden looked like a patch of weeds. (Aunt Judy maintains it looked good from the road.)
Of course everyone assumed it was for my Dad, but I proudly said, nope it's for my garden. I then spent a long time debating the best way to set things up and connect everything, but in the end settled for a basic drip line, hose, faucet version. (Let's just say my alternate version included pvc and valves. Someday...) The most trying part was making holes and inserting the drippers. Your thumbs get sore after a while. But I endured and with a little help from my sister Heidi, everything got put together.But that wasn't the only change, oh no. I also decided to expand the garden making it the biggest it's ever been. (In case you didn't notice in first picture.) Meaning, I was back in hardpan with a shovel. But why quit when you're ahead? I also decided to make four long rows so everything could be neat and orderly. And so I could know exactly where everything was.
 |
| How does my garden grow |
It's amazing how much better a little order and organization can make things. I mean;
1) I know what's where.
2) It's almost impossible to flood the garden washing seeds every which way and creating more weeds.
3) The row's created looser soil even in the hardpan areas. (Although as Aunt Judy pointed out, the carrots may need more sand, we'll see.)
4) The drip is keeping the soil from drying like cement.
5) It's easier to tell a weed from a plant.Anyway, that's why this year's garden is Legit or The Year of the Drip Line. So far we've done a pretty good job keeping the weeds down too. The dry rows definitely cut down on the "weed carefully" areas which helps A LOT.
Now, the next thing I need to learn is to actually eat what I grow...
To me the garden is an ironic mystery. I have no idea how I've been consistent enough to do this for four years straight. Every year when it's time to shovel I seriously doubt a garden will be planted. And yet somehow, every year it gets done. I wonder how long this strange trend will run. I suppose only time will tell.
If you're in the area, and want some garden fresh something feel free to stop by. If you're unsure which house is mine, just look for the garden out back. At the rate it's growing you can't miss it.
*By weed I mean a plant growing where you don't want it. Not the grass that's not a lawn nonsense.
