We’ve had some spectacularly beautiful weather here. For the past several weeks it’s been mostly highs in the upper 70’s with cool nights. Unlike the few parts of the country where the weather is mostly always pleasant, we celebrate and appreciate these really nice days.
Keeping the Paths Clean
The great weather makes gardening easier. I’m doing a pretty good job of keeping up with the weeding since the heat isn’t pervasive and draining. The open raised beds I grow in utilize paths that are easy to weed. Weeded paths give the garden some balance and neatness.
Ready to Plant
Here’s a bed that I’ve been keeping open for a fall planting. I use the Long Handle CobraHead as a scuffle hoe and the task only takes about 20 minutes. These beds are 20 feet long and 5 feet wide, so I’m keeping a lot of area well weeded, doing it standing up, and not working that hard.
Weedy Potatoes
I do however, have lots of weeds. These potato beds are weed infested, but the weeds are not very old and doing no harm. They will become compost as the potatoes are harvested.
A big advantage of these beds is that they can be de-weeded relatively easily, even if totally overgrown. This is where a broadfork comes to the rescue.
I really do believe weeds should be an integral part of food growing. Learning to live with and controlling them can truly make home gardening a sustainable endeavor.
Potatoes