What’s Happening in the Garden
“Yes, the Lord pours down His blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.” Psalms 85:12
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE GARDEN
Thru February 24
An intrepid gang of volunteers showed up Saturday, 2/18, on a chilly, windy day. Row covers were installed on six beds, straw was chopped up and spread for mulch, strawberry plants were set out, and the donated flower boxes were painted. The next day, Carolyn, Ed and Kaitlyn again showed up to set out broccoli, collards, cabbage, carrots, mustard spinach and pea plants, as well as seed potatoes. Three of the deep beds (along south side) have been planted in potatoes because you can't have too many potatoes!
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The four of us worked for three hours and called it a good day. During the week, the row covers had to be rolled down because of the warmer weather. More carrot transplants (in TP tubes) were set out, as well as lettuce, and radishes, rutabagas and beets were planted from seed. By the end of the week, potatoes and asparagus had begun sending up shoots.
As explained to the crew, we are rushing some of these veggies in order to get a harvest to show our congregation. We hope with an early showing of fresh produce we can earn additional support and assistance. Some of our congregation have asked what they can do to help us make the garden a success. Please pray along with Jim and I that this garden will be a blessing to our church and to our community.
And, pray for an early spring!
IN THE HOME GARDEN
The warm weather tricked the asparagus to begin producing, and the rutabagas and carrots have continued to grow underneath their mulch blanket. Some of last year's potatoes still in storage were "chitting out", sprouting, so they were planted in one of the round beds. We just saw the first leaves coming up on Friday. The cold frame is in use and trays of young plants are now being "hardened off." That provides more room on the Gro-light shelves for seedling trays. Later tomato varieties were started this week from seed, and I will also be planting more veggies from seed. The approach of spring is an exciting time for us gardeners!
MARCH 5 (The Webmaster has been too busy to make updates...)
Happily, and with the help of row covers, everything in the garden made it through the hail and rain and wind this week. Mary Margaret stopped by and helped get everything fastened down before the big blow. On Saturday, Jim, (Carpenter Extraordinaire and Webmaster), wrestled the pallets leftover from the dirt delivery into three fine compost bins on the west side of the garden.
Speaking of compost...Starbucks has begun saving their coffee grounds for gardeners. So whenever you can stop by a franchise location, ask for their "Grounds for the Garden". The bags are well-wrapped and the grounds can be placed directly on the compost heap. We need all we can get. We can also use any green material from your landscape, including UNTREATED grass clippings. Also dead leaves and plant material that does not come from diseased plants. If you have anything, just place it on the pallets behind the compost bins.