A Time to Plant

Bought my plants this year. Again.

Remember these beauties? Dead. Scalded to death putting them out to harden off to early.

Don't let those hot days fool you, they can be death to your seedlings.

B. put the tiller on the tractor and did a first till Friday the 15th. Saturday, he brought home 2600 lbs. of composted manure. (from Lowe's. We could've gotten it from the farm we get milk from, buts its been so wet we decided to strike while the iron was hot and just went with what was readily available). 2400 lbs. sounds like a lot. When you open and dump at least half of the 65 40 lb. bags, it IS a lot. When it only covers about 2/3 of a garden, it doesn't seem like quite so much. Tilled that in twice. I went out Sunday to rake out the rows, but it was still so clumpy, that B. came out and tilled again. Monday I went to pick up my sister to keep an eye on Beans while I planted. (the garden is in full sun, and I didn't want him exposed for so long in the back pack). It started sprinkling, and was a steady rain by the time we got home. I decided to give it a go anyway, but after a while gave up.

My boots were turning to mud balls, and I was making it worse trying to walk around, marking rows etc. So I came in and scrubbed the family room walls and carpet. No great loss without some small gain.

The sun cam out around 1 and the wind was blowing pretty good. Would you believe it dried everything out enough to plant by 6pm?

I did most of it, since I was speed planting before the next system of rain came through (It skirted us thankfully), but Honey planted all but one row of beans.

She was quite pleased with herself. Unfortunately, I think they will have to be replanted, the rain seems to have packed them down tight, and while I'm at it, I think this is my favorite picture of my girl. I'd be lost without her and her willing little spirit.

Biscuit planted the sunflower seeds and water melon. Muffin played on the swing set, and Beans observed from Daddy's back. But I don't have any pictures for that.

All planted, not that you can see anything. Everything is coming up, having survived the hail from the tornado spouting storms we had Wednesday (none by us, but out by our church and B.'s work, and a few surrounding counties).

B. was finally able to mow this past Tuesday, and suggested that I rake up the clippings (I think we should have borrowed a baler and sold hay) and spread them between the rows. So I did.

It sounds like a good idea in theory, to help keep the moisture in and weeds down, but I can't shake the feeling that I might have just planted myself a hay field.

I'm about 3/4 of the way done- do I keep going, or rake it all off? If you know, please tell or call me!