Living life on the edge, some hope, and lots of work

In my eagerness and optimism, I started my tomato seeds entirely too early. Currently they are long, leggy and ready to bust out of their Solo cups.

I have been checking our weather forecasts frequently. Trying to navigate our final frost. There is rain heading our way and I want to plant before it hits.

Feeling optimistic (and having a plan to cover my tomatoes on chilly nights) I decided to get some plants in the ground today.

If only it were as simple as digging a whole. There is much more involved with this previously tilled garden and clay soil.

Preparing the Soil

I loosened the clay with a pitchfork, pulling weeds along the way. Then I raked in kelp meal, rock phosphate, and pelleted chicken manure. This will add minerals and nutrients to the soil.

I added an aspirin and some Epsom salts to each tomato hole. You can read more about the benefits of these HERE and HERE.

The soil is depleted so I am doing all I can to give my plants and strong start.

It felt good to work in the ground and get started with this growing season.

Showing Promise

My oldest son was helping me in the garden and asked where I planted my 25lbs of potatoes. I walked him over to the spot and discovered potato plants popping up.

It worked! They are growing. Now I will need to add more aged straw with horse manure later this week to cover these sprouts. I will also need to keep the weeds at bay, so they don’t overtake my potato plants. But these green leaves have given me some hope.

More Work to Do

And then I turn around and see all the weeds that will need to be addressed before the rest of the garden gets put in.

Ugh.

I could use a tiller, but I am aiming for the least disturbance of the soil that I can manage. Whenever I have pulled weeds, I have found tons of worms and I would hate to lose them to some aggressive tilling.

A garden is hope and promise and lots of hard work. It is worth it.