gardening gardening gardening

This will be of no interest to anyone who doesn't like to get their hands in the soil--and maybe only of passing interest to anyone who does since I am still a neophyte gardener. But today today TODAY I walked over to my community garden and began to dig a little, turn the soil.

First thing I notice is that others have already cleaned and raked their soil. In fact, their soil is so clean and raked that I feel I should put up a sign to explain why mine isn't.

This is my  neighbour's plot. Rhubarb and raspberries so far. He will have tomatoes that should win a prize by August.

My soil is chunkier and messier. Why? Don't I know where the rakes are in the cabin? Mais, oui.

BUT: every autumn I ask R to trundle the wheelbarrow filled with the kitchen compost from our backyard composter to my garden plot. We always wait till the last day of the season because the compost frankly stinks and it's a 5-min walk. I don't want to gross out the neighbours. Over the long winter, under the snow, the stink goes away. But the avocado peelings, corncobs, and eggshell have not all disintegrated. That's okay, they will.

It makes for a disorderly-looking garden, but the plants never complain and I want the added nutrients and I hate to see all that "green waste" go to waste.





My rhubarb and garlic did well over the winter Today I planted lettuce (maybe a bit too early?) and snow peas--and blue cornflowers for the bees. I took pics but they don't look like much. More soil.

Part of what's best working in the garden on a sunny day in May is being glad I can and remembering that last year at this time I couldn't. I had sciatica and ended up in the hospital for 10 days--not because of the sciatica itself, but as a result of a medical mistake which was made when the doctor who saw me for sciatica did not listen when I spoke to him. Asshole, eh?

Next weekend I'm hoping R will put in some stakes for when I get tomatoes. Then basil and habaneros and green beans and onions and already I won't have enough room.