THE GARDEN IS MOSTLY IN

...but it is a little late to start from seeds. At least tomato seeds. Look at that row of cardboard. Did you ever see a more crooked row? I drew the rectangles and had Zach cut most of them out. Mathieu marked the spaces through the holes, onto the ground. Then Zach dug most of the holes (every other space) for the buried water jugs. Garrett came over during Zach's break, and did a couple too. Then when I fitted the cardboard back over the spaces, it was all off kilter, requiring some extra cuts in the cardboard to even fit it over the places that had jugs buried. But, oh well... the beauty will be in the delicious tomatoes.

Of course, no one really gets the concept of what it is meant to be/do except me. The idea is to cut down on weeds, conserve water and water efficiently. The jugs (Yay, Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng!) each have a small hole in the very bottom that should slowly deliver a good watering directly to the roots of the tomato plants. The tomatoes are planted in every other space...tomato plant....jug....tomato plant....jug... There will be more cardboard (to deter weeds and conserve water) between the other plants (okra, onions, bell peppers) as soon as I get some more. And there will be cardboard between the rows, as soon as the seeds (mesclun, chard) we planted come up. I'm afraid it is a little late for the mesclun, as we are already having 95 degree temperatures. It won't produce for long.

And see the middle of the garden where Shabree is standing? That is all the unplanted space I have left. And I have the Three Sisters (corn, pole beans and squash) and watermelon seeds remaining. They aren't going to fit! I guess I will plant a hill or two of watermelon and the same of squash.

I went to Corpus Christi to pick up Shabree for spring break this afternoon. She has been really interested in gardening lately, so she was only too happy to help me get the okra and pepper plants and tomato seeds in today. Shabree and I have plenty of herbs to plant this week too. I am going to get some cinder blocks - the kind with two holes in them - and align them to make a square, raised bed to put at the corners of the existing herb garden. That is on tomorrow's agenda.