Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Finally started the garden

I planted all seventeen of my Rutger's tomatoes a few days ago.  Even though we've been amending this garden with manure and compost for the past six years, there are still a lot of stinking rocks in there.  I keep rock buckets in the garden because a day doesn't go by when I don't till up, dig up or find a newly "grown" rock in there.
See that little bitty hole under the plants?  See those rocks to the left?
All those rocks came out of that single hole.  It defies physics.
Paul says I planted the tomatoes too close.  He says that every year.  But in retrospect, every year I have to put on a pith helmet and grab a machete to go harvest tomatoes.  Maybe he's on to something.

Today I took advantage of Grandma's awesome babysitting skills and worked outside in the garden again.  Weeding.  For like two hours.  My back is killing me, my hands are sore, but I'm making a dent in the jungle that has sprouted since our last deluge.  I've never realized how insanely difficult it is to pull out clover once it has a foothold in the soil.  This is some of the stuff we're trying to get established in the pasture, but of course, likes it better in my vegetable garden.

I also put down a 10' row of cucumber seeds and two 6' rows of snow peas along the garden fence.  Hopefully the stupid f'n peckerhead poultry chickens won't be able to poke their beady little heads through the fence and peck them to oblivion before they get established.

Checking the radar every half hour, hoping for rain.  The weather forecast was for a 70% chance of rain last night and today.  It's overcast, but not a drop anywhere near us.  Guess I'll have to water the tomatoes and newly planted seeds after all.  At least it's nice gardening weather.

13 comments:

  1. Carolyn,

    Fantastic news, you were able to plant seeds and seedlings in your garden. The weather still has not be good here to plant outside. It looks very promising starting Thursday.

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  2. Gonna need at least a week of dry weather to get my seedlings and seeds out.

    The Winter won't go away storms just don't seem to have an end this year.

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  3. My wife and I continually battle rocks, she swears they are breeding and producing young. I think I agree with her.....LOL

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  4. Rain is here, but I only have peas planted.

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  5. "It defies physics." My thoughts exactly!

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  6. Yep, we've got rocky soil, too . . . but maybe not as bad as yours. (Sorry.) I've been told the frost action is what pushes continually more rocks to the surface. But you shouldn't have that problem, should you? Maybe you should try to find a good birth control method for yours, eh? ;o)

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  7. I have rocky soil too. The hubs friend calls our place Arizona. He even left me a cactus the other day LOL!
    I planted my garden a week ago and had to cover it twice already. The plants look pretty rough. I'm hoping the next few warm days will perk them back up ☺

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  8. Well, if the weather ever reaches spring-like conditions (June?), I'll be right behind you. At this rate, it will be waaaaaay behind you. I keep a rock bucket, too. It's no accident that there are two gravel pits on my road...

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  9. Sounds like you've been garden busy. Rain. I know what you mean about looking for it but also what it does to the weeds!

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  10. It does defy physics that all those rocks were in that little bitty hole! I finally got to where I don't plant the tomatoes too close together, that was AFTER seeing the snake in my tomato jungle a few years back. I hope you got some rain! :)

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  11. You got a lot done.....my tomatoes won't go in the ground under around the middle of May. I had frost here and there this morning! It seems it will last forever.

    I am down to just moving the small rocks back and forth in my vegetable garden. I only remove anything bigger than a small egg. Hope you get the rains you need soon. I was so lucky to get mine after planting the onions and broccoli. That doesn't usually happen.

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  12. Oooh I'm jealous of your babysitter! That's one thing we miss out on being military, I think I've had a babysitter 3 times ever and it's only when my mom comes for a visit LOL. Don't worry about those tomatoes, I swear we could plant them 20 feet apart and still need a machete to get in there come August! You got a lot done, hope the weather is ready to cooperate with us all!

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  13. Hey Carolyn! Thank you for letting me know you're reading my blog at FarmLifeLessons so I can visit you as well! I just signed up to follow you as well, and the encouragement you gave means a LOT to me since we are feeling high pressure about our move to the country...raw, rural country.

    If I had boots on, I might be shaking a tad! :-)

    Lana

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