Let’s finish up on building those beds. Time to plant as the rain is coming and every drop is like fertilizer to vegetables. Yesterday we layered with shredded newspaper, Cottonseed Meal, and chicken manure. Today we add the last two magic ingredients – shredded mulch and lousy dirt. I’m lucky enough to have lots of lousy dirt around here.

The shredded mulch? I get it from our local Electric Cooperative. They shred trees (especially cedar) on a regular basis in this county. All you have to do is call and ask for mulch. Sometimes it takes awhile, other times when they are working in your area, you get it lickity split. And, kiddos, it’s free!

It’s a good idea for the mulch to sit around for at least 6 months before you use it so you don’t get lots of little trees popping up in your garden.

Adding Mulch

Notice the bed behind this one in the photo? That’s where the okra was. It’s a great shot of how much dirt “disappears” after the plants are pulled. But back to filling up beds.

I raked this in with the rake going the right way. Then I worked on it with gloved hands a bit to fill in the corners.

Nothing looks better than progress

Water the mulch down good to give it a great start on breaking down. The last step? Lousy dirt which I have plenty of. What is lousy dirt? Stuff that looks like there’s no life in it. It makes a nice covering and works itself into all the rich things beneath it, making it good dirt all over again.

The completed bed

I watered the four beds with soaker hoses for about 45 minutes and dragged my tired butt into the house. You need good, moist dirt to plant with. And the next morning I could hardly wait to get back outside and plant something!

Newly planted bed

This one’s broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.  In another I planted seeds: radishes, spinach, kale, butter crunch lettuce and collards. I didn’t take a picture of the seed bed. Nothing to see yet. Here’s the last two.

Sorry about the shadows

Two beds of onions – white, red and yellow. Does anyone remember my onions from last year?

I can grow ’em can’t I?

Also, I have a confession to make. Remember the Magic Eggplant Bush that produced the likes of this?

Mighty Pretty

Well it froze to death despite my best efforts. But I just couldn’t bring myself to pull it out of the ground, so I cut it way back and left it in the ground.

I have high hopes it will grow again…

Tomorrow’s column day and I don’t know what we’ll get into on Friday. Maybe we’ll see how the other beds are growing. Enjoy the rain.

Spreading laughter throughout the world…one chuckle at a time.

Mikie Baker
www.mikiebaker.com