The Chocolate Chip Country

Today, the weather was nice after a week of on and off rain. We took advantage and got outside to work on things. Hubby mowed the lawn. I finished digging a small garden plot and planted some seeds. I know it's late, but it's better than nothing.


The cubs helped some. We did all the work the old-fashioned way. I used a spade to cut the sod into chunks and turn it over, then broke up the ground with a the hand tiller pictured above. I know that raised beds are The Thing, but the prime location for a raised bed in our yard is just not ready. We need to trim some trees back, first. So we're putting in a regular bed, the way my mom taught me.


I showed the cubs how to check to see if the dirt is right for planting. You grab a handful of it and squeeze it. If water or mud drips out, it's too wet. If it doesn't hold together at all, it's too dry. This is just right. It forms a ball but is easily broken apart.


And this is the finished bed. Anchoring the top (and that is uphill) is a rhubarb plant we purchased from Lowe's. Next to it, I built up a hill for a squash (if it doesn't fruit in time, we'll just eat the flowers). Next down, a couple little rows of marigolds to break things up. Then, some bush beans. The plain (unamended) soil is where we planted a few dwarf sunflowers. As prairie plants, they don't care if the soil is full of nutrients.

The logs are from fallen limbs around my yard. We haven't been able to burn them all, so I might as well put them to a nice use.


And here is the container garden, looking pretty healthy. All the transplants seem to be very happy.