Weeding between the lines

WEEDING BETWEEN THE LINES 

By Jim McGinty

Well, the world is certainly changing all around us, every day, and in so many ways.  Even in the middle of the latest virus panic, our garden can be a point of stability, focus, and calm, if we will just take the time.  Due to the latest “temporary” emergency measures, a whole lot of us now have more of that time to garden, meditate, exercise and do some of those things/chores we have been putting off, due to “not enough time”.

I have recently talked (at a respectable “social distance”, thank you) with quite a few folks who plan a new, or larger backyard garden this year.  I think the sight (or internet video) of empty supermarket food shelves has reminded a lot of people of some of our grandparent’s basic “rules of life”:  grow a food garden, and stock the pantry shelves, because you never know.

For those families who now have children home for the remaining school year, teaching them to garden is a good use of their “free” time (the time when they would otherwise be tormenting their parents or siblings).  Gardening is an excellent life talent, a helpful way to use some of your children’s energy, and encourage their critical thinking skills:  what to plant where, how many row feet of what crop, how many seeds are needed to grow enough plants, etc. Remember also, that there are a LOT of on-line gardening video tutorials, and even free software for garden layout, planting, and harvesting:  my favorite free planner is “The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner”.

If you are new to gardening, my two best recommendations are start small (a ten foot square garden can produce an amazing salad garden), and look around for a local gardening mentor – just don’t breathe on each other.

With our recent warmer temperatures, here at Rancho McGinty, we have been starting garden seeds (tomatoes, peppers, onions, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, etc.) in flats, and even planting out some pioneer/sacrificial eight inch tall seedlings: some cool weather crops (peas, broccoli, chard, cabbage, spinach, kale, etc.) can handle light frosts.

In the open garden, or in raised beds, now is the right time to apply some aged manure or fertilizer, compost, and even some of those bagged tree leaves you collected last Autumn – just mix it all into the soil.

If you have an overcrowded rhubarb patch, you can safely chop out some of the crown (about a quarter of the root ball) with a sharp spade, plant the chunk into a big pot, and trade it to your new-to-gardening neighbor for future tomatoes.  Fill the hole in the rhubarb crown with aged manure, and you will harvest even more rhubarb stalks next Spring.

In the berry patch, now is the time to apply pelletized or powdered sulfur to the base of your acid-loving blueberry plants, and while you are at it, put a layer of compost, and then a layer of mulch over the area as well.  More blueberries and “Captain Crunch” cereal in the morning – mmmmm.

Garden calendar

Our local garden club will NOT meet in April, due to various restrictions on crowd size, density, deodorant use, etc.  We are still planning on Summer garden tours, so be sure to watch this space for more details.

You can always check on our club’s activities at our blog site, www.elk-camdengardenkeepers.blogspot.com, or on our Facebook group page. 

I am not aware of any organizations or individuals offering nose-to-nose gardening-related classes or meetings this month – now is the time to talk with your gardening neighbor, though please do so over the fence, upwind, and then wash your hands.  Stay safe and healthy – you have a lot of weeds to pick.