Let the Planting Begin

Yesterday I spent a few hours on the garden and finally planted something. First though, my friend Tamara graciously reminded me that garden work isn't just time spent planting starts and watering; it's the travel time to your friend's house to bag up compost and bring it to your own, because she bought too much, and you desperately needed it but didn't have the money to get any this year because you're so tight on funds from starting up a new business, that you don't know how you'll pay rent this month.

So, even though I didn't get any plants in the ground on Saturday, I still brought the straw and compost home, dug it into the soil -- stirring it -- dug trenches around each "raised bed" area, weed-eated an already overgrown section of the garden that I'm calling "the container garden," and laid straw down in between the beds and around the cherry tree where I'm trying to discourage weeds. And, as Tamara put it, that was still gardening, and I'm proud of the work I did.

The next day, after volunteering at the Country Fair site on our various crews, we napped, and when I awoke, I felt a little bummed about still not getting the plants in the ground -- so I geared myself up and spend another 2 1/2 hours in the garden. I started weeding the raspberries -- which are loaded with unripe berries -- and attached the rest of the garden fence so the dogs couldn't get in and dig up stuff. That nice soft dirt is so tempting. Then I finally transplanted the local starts I've been accumulating.

16 strawberry plants -- we already have a strawberry patch! -- 3 pepper plants, one chocolate cherry tomato plant for Ali, (I don't like tomatoes -- raw ones anyway) and one lavender plant to replace the one that mysteriously died.

Ali spent his time clearing the ubiquitous blackberry vines.

Speaking of mysterious plant death, all of my started basil seeds sprouted beautifully, so I moved them outside to get rain and sunshine with the other herbs I've got potted in the front yard. They seemed to be flourishing. Or at least, you know, staying alive. I was quite pleased. And then I went away for Memorial Day weekend and came back to no basil. It didn't die; the containers were still there; no dirt spillage; no dried up stems. JUST GONE. As if nothing had ever been planted there.

I have no idea what could've gotten it. Birds? Squirrels would've dug in the soil and knocked over the pots, and they don't strike me as the basil-eating type anyway. Snails maybe. I didn't think they would've climbed into the plastic starter pots with those sharp rims, but I guess they could have.

Anyway, it's a mystery. But, I'm still happy that my garden is started.

Up Next: planting seed potatoes; fertilizing and weeding the blueberries; weeding the raspberries, too; and planting seeds!!!

My sustainable garden has begun.