May 24, 2006

Compost Morning

A few days ago I got an e mail informing me that my community garden WAS going to get a delivery of compost on May 23rd. This was very unexpected since we didn't last year despite lots of promises to the contrary. You can sort of see the big compost pile in the background of the photo here. It is hard to describe how elated I felt at the news. It was as if I got free tickets to see some amazing band or found out that I won a trip to Paris.

It's supposed to rain again this weekend and I really want to get my struggling seedlings in the ground so this morning I got up at 5:30AM and turned 3 wheelbarrows full of compost into my garden. I basically dumped the compost on the surface and then just used a pitchfork to mush it in a little. Quite a workout!! It looks so good -- like a field of chocolate cake. Tomorrow morning I'll try to plant everything and then the rain can come and welcome my little plants to their new home. I had wanted to get some sort of tiles to create a few more paths to make sure I don't tramp on the soil too much but, that will just have to wait.

In digging things up today, I made the decision to get rid of a giant yarrow plant that I had gotten last spring. Its pretty and I like it but it was just getting too big. I already transplanted part of it over to the sink and I really think I'm going to need the room for vegetables. It was a hard moment there at 6AM, talking to myself, trying to decide what to do but, I think I made the right decision and just a few steps away his/her/it's progeny will live on.

Overall the rain seems to have been a great thing for the garden. All the flowers that I planted in and around the sink are taller and fuller with more flowers and the chives have gone completely crazy.

Oh and I almost forgot. This morning I found a yellow and pink plastic egg hidden in my daisy plant. I didn't open it but, from rattling it a little I can tell there is some kind of toy or candy in there and NOT just rocks. There are a lot of kids who live in the neighborhood and although it could have been a gift for me from them (or maybe the Easter Bunny), I have a feeling that someone else was supposed to find it. I moved it onto the ground where it would be more visible and I'll check back to see if someone claims their prize. Pretty fantastic way to start the day huh?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your "field of chocolate cake." Compost is great isn't it? Speaking of chocolate, I would have eaten whatever was inside that plastic egg in a heartbeat. You have a lot of will power. :)

And welcome to Garden Voices.