Monday, March 9, 2009

First of the garden


I practically sprinted out of my last meeting of the afternoon, drove home and headed for the back yard. Carried with me a dish of warm water in which a handful of wrinkly Chicago Red hybrid beet seeds had been soaking.

Time, finally, to plant.

I dug out two furrows in the bed that grew beans and squash last year, layered last fall with shredded leaves and lawn clippings. I plunked the seeds into the warm earth, blended with some crumbly black cow manure and humus.

I retrieved the old, beat-up taped-up garden hose from behind the shed where junk sits until I can make trips to the landfill and sprinkled the ground. Belatedly, I remembered that I had planned to get a new garden hose during the winter and will have to pay premium price this time of year.

Now I've done my work, at least until weeding time arrives. Now it's up to them, these little seeds, to be the vanguard of this year's garden. Should be able to harvest the first two rows April 27.

I'm a little worried about the feral rabbit I've seen bouncing around the neighborhood these past few months. He chewed my pecan seedlings to stubs and finished off the spearmint. My beets would be no match for him. I should perhaps invest in a fence, since Sweetie would change the locks on the doors and hand, no, throw, Her ring back at me if I ventured to make a stew out of him.

Where's old Elmer Fudd when you need him?

5 comments:

molly said...

Well, Mr. McGregor! Peter Rabbit has to eat too! I've plenty of weeds, but somehow the critters and the birds are more interested in berries and the good stuff! We have loads of blossoms on our blueberries this spring.....Fingers crossed!

StayAtHomeKat said...

I'm with Sweetie!

My but you are having fun and loving every moment.

Eastcoastdweller said...

Molly: True, Peter must eat, but surely he could fill up his rabbity belly on dandelions and invasive Japanese honeysuckle, could he not?

Kat: Every minute not spent in a meeting, that is.

Janice Thomson said...

LOL - too funny ECD. You wouldn't really make a stew out of him...would you? Hope they grow to be strapping plants.

Eastcoastdweller said...

Janice: I plead the Fifth. I had rabbit as a little boy, when my dad was more inclined to hunt. Tasted good, from what I remember.

I, too, hope for strapping plants, soaking up the Southern sunshine on their photosynthesizing equipment as the days lengthen into spring.

Goodies for my table and reducing the carbon footprint at the same time, not bad!