Mulch, a time saver

I find hay to be a good mulch. A bale separates nicely into layers and can then be laid on the soil between rows, around the plants or as a path so there are no muddy shoes every time you walk the garden. It helps to cut down weeds and if any do sprout, turning the hay over usually dislodges them or a quick pull for the occasional stubborn one. If it is getting thin adding more will usually smother new weed shoots. Mulch is a barrier to water evaporation, always check under the mulch before watering, it may not need it even on those long hot days. When the hay used on a path is well worn by the end of a season more can be added or it can be dug into the garden soil in the fall and new laid down in the spring. Roughage in the soil, like hay, will encourage worms in your garden. In my garden nothing is more important than worms, they aerate the soil and their castings fertilize. The more worms the better and healthier growth of all the plants.
There is an old raspberry patch here that was severely overgrown and not productive. I spent a lot of time the first two hot summers weeding between the tall thorny canes and found many dead twigs and plants. Three years ago half of the canes were cut down to about 12” and the dead material weeded out. I did not want to cut all the canes incase I did it wrong and damaged them, losing the whole patch. The next summer brought a lot of growth and some good berries, but the second summer, last year, was so abundant I actually gave up picking them and left the berries for the bears. This fall the rest of the canes will be cut down and mulched with hay. Mulching the berries helps me gain access to the 10’ x 20’ tight patch, when weeds and grass sprout amongst the canes it can be inaccessible. The year I don’t find the time in the spring to mulch the patch I end up spending long hot days weeding. I have thought of placing a stone path down the middle but am still not sure, since, to really work it may take up too much space.
The second autumn here a bed was prepared for my first planting of garlic; it worked so well I now plant garlic every fall. One year, after the cloves were in, long grass from the field was gathered, the top seed head was cut off, and placed on top 2-3” deep, it gave my best crop ever that spring. The ground warmed fast encouraging growth while protecting the young shoots and no weeds came up even though I used wild grasses. This fall I will cover with hay, then, once the garlic is harvested the hay will be turned into the soil ready for the next planting.
After Halloween there should be bales around and no longer at a premium price. If you do a big yard display for Halloween or have a neighbour or friend who does, ask if you can take the hay bales off their hands!
My problem is remembering to pick up hay in the early fall or I won’t have any for winter protection and spring planting. At least I can always fall back on the field grasses!
Another idea I want to try with hay is to make a nice sized pile, 2 or 3 bales, and plant potatoes in it. It is easy to reach in and check the size of the tuber and only pick the larger ones, leaving the little spuds to grow bigger undisturbed. I’ll let you know how that goes; right now it is in the thinking/planning stage.

Woodcock

American Woodcock

The dusk/nighttime, beezping, trilling, warbling, plumiting, impressive bird.

Gardening is...

Gardening is an amazing experience. I am always amazed when the seeds of an endangered plant break the surface with a tiny touch of tender green.
The rare and endangered plants tend to be very slow to germinate and abundant sowing compensates for a low germination rate. Once the first struggle is successful and the soil parts with a little band of light green they seek to grow within their own personal eco-system preference. Not a lot of information is available or easy to find on individual endangered plant needs, old-time gardeners are my best source. Some gardeners plant in a variety of growing mediums under a variety of growing conditions and document everything.
When I went to a dog breeder to pick a puppy, I sat down amongst them. 21 puppies from 5 weeks to 2 weeks wobbled and waddled and tumbled about. I was enchanted by the mass of furry bodies, all on the move. I saw a variety of size and colour and playfulness, but as soon as I had sat down, one little 3 week old struggled up to me, though I did not see her until I felt her lying on my shoe, she happily kept me company. When I visited the next week the same thing happened. Amongst the bustle and activity of 21 puppies one came up to my shoe and stayed until I picked her up again, then she was happy in my lap. My Ella chose me from the very first moment; she was waiting patiently for me.
I garden the same way. I try not to over analyze, I do not go through great feats to create an environment of utter perfection before each seed is placed to germinate, though I do plan and document what worked and what didn’t. I watch closely and am rarely disappointed. These wonderful rare and endangered seeds peep through to my excited amazement that these plants “chose me” to grow and flourish for.
Gardening is a perplexing experience. I plant some varieties, especially tomatoes, year after year and I have my favourite recipes ready for preserves even before they germinate. Then, along comes a spring when the reliable standards struggle and sometimes are completely unsuccessful; right beside a tray full of healthy endangered seedlings.
Gardening is a humbling experience. As much as I plan, document and prepare, some parts of the environment will not be compatible. An unexpected drop in temperature, electrical outage cutting the essential lights out or simple miscalculations and the garden I plant outside is far different than the garden I expected.
Sometimes in life we choose and plan our path with great thought and attention, sometimes it chooses us and sometimes the most unexpected plan or opportunity emerges to leave us amazed, perplexed and humbled.