Well Read

Thanks to T's help, this year's garden was in the ground in mid-April.  But for the fact that I jumped the gun with the zinnia seeds (they prefer more warmth than our early spring could deliver), it was a successful strategy.  We've got peas and tomatoes well on their way to ripening.  I've picked chives and basil for cooking.  The artichoke, peppers, lima beans, and blueberry bush are looking great.  Four extra packets of zinnia seeds later, I'm even looking forward to some cut flowers.  The only downside to the early planting was the extra weeding required.  Thanks to the warm, wet spring, the plants weren't the only things that grew like gangbusters.

I usually cope with weeds by laying down newspapers and mulch.  However, it takes planning and a few hours to get the job done and there just wasn't enough time to do that in May.  With the arrival of summer vacation, mulching the garden was a priority.  Sunday afternoon, T helped me to get the mulch and set the bags into place for the work ahead.

On Monday afternoon, in advance of the hell-hot heatwave we are currently sweating through, I got the mulch on the ground.  As usual, I cleared out the weeds, spread newspapers between the plants, and then laid out a thick layer of wood mulch to control the weeds and help the plants survive the hot weather.

I took great care to protect my tiny zinnia seedlings, of course.

I've got my eyes on a rosebush and few more herbs for the garden and there is some space to plant them.  In the meantime, when I take my daily walk out to check on my plants, I'll be happy to see the tidy, ordered garden.