Warming To Weeding

Last fall when Ed finished weeding one of the garden beds, we decided to put down a double layer of clear plastic over part of the bed.  I'm sure I remember watching the Victory garden and hearing about doing this to heat up the soil .  As I peered through the wet plastic it was clear to me that something was growing very well under there.

When we flipped back the plastic, lush green plant growth was revealed.

I got my glasses and looked closely at the plants in this bed searching for something good.  What I found was  some shepherds' purse, a bunch of dead nettles that arrived here from somewhere last year and seem determined to take over the place, and some of my least favorite weeds whose proper names I do not know. The  names I call them cannot be printed here.

Meanwhile Ed was working on the area where we plant our early spinach,  lettuce and beets.  The metal barrier along with galvanized cages is our attempt to protect our delicious crops from the wildlife.   Ed's beds all prepared for  planting are a beautiful spring sight here!

We moved the plastic over to this bed to warm the soil in Ed's newly prepared garden bed.

The all clear had been sounded.  Everything in this bed was officially declared a weed.  There is something very satisfying to be able to get in there and just weed everything out of a bed until nothing but beautiful planting soil remains.  When Ed finished weeding,  he placed wire mesh over this newly prepared bed.  This helps to  prevent the local wildlife and the neighbor's cat from walking on, rolling in or leaving unwelcome presents buried in the newly prepared soil.

The sun is shining today, but the wind is chilling. This morning  I spotted a bluebird sitting on a post in the garden. It was a female. The brilliant blue of the male flashed by and I watched as they checked out the houses just south of the garden.  They took turns peering in the hole of first one then the other next box.  After that, they flew together to the shade garden tree.  I sure hope they settle here.  Perhaps I will bundle up and go out to see if a little more weeding progress can be made.  Of course if the wind is still cold , it will blow me right back into the warmth of the house.