In The Garden: Hints From A Mrs Gardener – Don’t Rake the Gardens Too Early

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Submitted by Joan Regan

I really envy the folks that can grow their own veggies, growing from seed started indoors. However, I don’t have a window I could even try this in (too many trees), so I get my plants usually from Peninsula Out Of Doors and get them going in the little green house that Pete made me awhile ago, transplanting them to larger planters when they’re going to go outdoors. I have them out the front with the cedar planters (Pete’s design) for my herbs. So far the critters stay away out there; far more sun there as well. Thinking I might move more out there and have a small planter veggie/herb garden. Might look nice as well – the planters are all cedar handmade by my carpenter. We sure do not want to cut down any trees out the back – beautiful shady and breezy come the summer heat.

While waiting to get at all this there is lots to do. The paths all need picked up – lots of branches down and leaves from our three Maple trees as well. Loving my big fan rake for this job and my lighter weight wheelbarrow makes it so easy to get back and forth to the fire pit. 

Wanting to get at the gardens so bad but I did learn my lesson “don’t rake the gardens too early”. I used to get out there in attack mode and rake up every little thing I saw, exposing the tiny plants struggling to adjust to the new temperatures. Now I wait (not an easy task for me). Even then I don’t rake, I just lift and separate (just like that bra commercial from way back when). The gardens are so much happier.

Soon the glider will be on the patio and all the chairs in their various spots in the shade, just waiting for us to social distance from the world. Sure do miss our family and friends though.

Keep safe gardening friends.

Happy Gardening,

Joni 

jpregan@amtelecom.net 519 596 2389