The diary revealed that I am within a week of the annual tilling of the garden. Some years it is earlier while other years it is later. It all generally depends-upon the garden drying-out sufficiently to work the soil without getting your equipment bogged-down. Nevertheless, I remain within the 2-3 week window of initial prep. Farmers around here are checking their fields as well.
Yesterday I spread three bales of peat moss over the clayey Door County stuff that passes for soil in the raised bed adjacent to the machine shed.
Added to that was almost 500 pounds of composted cow manure.
The entire spread was turned-under with the rototiller.
This not only busts-up the soil, it also introduces the valuable organic matter that is added every spring to augment the crappy clay soil in the garden.
It also has the benefit of turning-under the cool season weeds that have germinated already. This will get an additional tilling before anything is planted - possibly by week's end if the weather holds.
Lastly, it is hard on my back. It's an old-guy thing.
Click on images for a closer look
The diary revealed that what I hadn't done is to have purchased my greenhouse-raised stock from Bonnie Brooke Gardens.
Note to self - visit the garden center in Sturgeon Bay - pronto. Before everything flies out the door on Mother's Day.
On a sad note is this. Not a single sprig of asparagus emerged this spring. After 14 years it would appear that I have to clear and replant the spargel bed and reestablish the colony for that most prized of spring garden harvest.
Feeling a little like a field hand.
Vive le jardin magnifique!
Posts
