Weed Eating

Here we are solidly into the month of June, and I'm still putting in my summer garden(s). I'm actually ahead this year, but the problem is that every year I add another bed or two (or, as this year, three).  I'm now up to nine beds that are 8'X8' each (some are joined together) that must be weeded, planted, and watered.  Every year, around August when it's hotter than snot, the gophers are chewing down everything with roots and any plants left living are gasping in the heat, I vow to cut back on the number of gardens I'm a slave to.  Last summer I actually did allow my giant triple-sized bed to go fallow, and it felt great to have the burden of watering it removed.  However, this spring I made up for lost time by digging it up and planting it with pumpkins, Indian corn and sunflowers.  And then I got Bruce to build three more beds for me in the orchard garden.  I'm an idiot.

Shade cloth over the tomato plants -- without it they'd fry

Yesterday I finally finished planting one the closest gardens to the house -- eight tomato plants, a few Swiss chard, artichokes, and basil.  I added (probably more than I should have) giant sunflowers in the back and a row of marigold seed in front for good measure.








Today I got to the second bed by the house.  One reason it took me so long was because it still had poppies blooming in it and I couldn't bear to pull them up.  This morning I decided that it was time. 

This year I didn't plant any potatoes, but a number of plants came up anyway from tubers that got missed when I harvested last summer.  There were about six of them sprawling in the bed I worked in today.  At first I was going to leave them in, but I kept stepping on them.  So instead I got the shovel, and dug them up. 

The parsley had gone to seed and bolted, so it also was weeded up

Like magic, dozens of lovely baby white and purple potatoes rolled out from the dirt. 



And I yelled, "Lunch!"

New potatoes quickly boiled and served with fresh parsley, butter and sea salt

Yup; today I weeded the garden and then ate the weeds.  They were delicious.