attack gardening ... cathartic, aerobic, risky, & profane

 
It was 7:50 p.m. and I could finally then hop into the garden to try and get something done. Sun sets at 8-something?

Really wanted to plant these:

How cheerful would that giant face of fuzzy yellow happiness be

in our garden this summer? Deee-lightful.

AND they'd provide afternoon shade to our peppers,

which are still suffering sunstroke since I didn't

harden them off before planting. Wuz outta town. Oh, well. =)

So figured out night before last WHERE to put them.

And had done much of the weeding earlier.

This is a plot where we put some of the detritus
from under our oak tree

for free, home-grown compost.

There was even an eggs in a nest fungus there,

all dried out, but I've never seen one in another plot, so v. cool!

So, did the REST of the weeding of that plot

(v. v. rapidly and with a personal vengence against the dreaded non-native grasses)

and this is the plot now, planted.

 Way too close together so will have to thin a LOT, later.

But, really, how can I plant just 3 seeds? Not possible.

Note aviary wire.

Gophers here meant I started my plots via bastard trenching years ago.

Planted.

Things grew! Yay!

Then, things disappeared.

Fully developed, just about to be fruitful squash plants,

gone in a flash.

Gophers.

So, the NEXT year I:

dug out all the dirt (AGAIN)

lined the plots with chicken wire

put all the dirt back (AGAIN)

and planted seeds.

Things grew. Yay.

Then, things disappeared.

Gophers.

SO, the NEXT year, I:

dug out all the dirt (AGAIN)

pulled out all the chicken wire

lined the plots with aviary wire (smaller holes)

put all the dirt back (AGAIN)

and planted seeds.

Things grew. Yay.

Then, things stayed.

Oh!

So, be it ever so picturesque, we are aviary wire people.

Next plot destined for flowers was 100% crazy tall, 

head bobbing laden-with-seed exotic grasses.

Pulled some of the grass and found chicken wire.

Drat.

So, last night I:

dug out all the dirt

pulled out all the chicken wire

and then it got dark.

Much of this I did with my hands,
1,000 MPH.
Started with shovel, but the plot's very narrow,
then went to garden spade,
then hands.

Hands are the best gardening tools EVER, FYI.

Hands can feel how close the chicken wire is,
ferret out grass root clumps,
detect the amount of moisture in the soil, etc.

Hands are awesome.

Later, I can:
line it with aviary wire

and plant seeds

and watch things grow.

Yay.

xobb