We start each Spring from scratch in order to ensure we have a healthy garden for the entire season. Weeds are pulled, the cover crop gets tilled under, compost is added, plus tidying up the berry bushes. We also take the time to check all of our tools so that they are ready to go when we need them.
Even as the new seeds and plants start to grow, we still have to weed and check for critters.
All the seeds are planted and sprouting plus the soil looks great but we submitted a couple of soil samples to Virginia Tech to determine if we need to supplement or adjust for ph. Then comes the drip irrigation now that frost dates have past. And, the last touch of the chipped wood is added to our paths makes everything look professional!
Most all of our plants survived the blistering heat due to the drip irrigation. Yes, we have a few leaves on the tomato plants that could not rally but the worst part was checking for the eggs from the squash bugs! It must have been a mast year for them. But dilligence paid off with the number of yellow squash that got picked.
Considering the horrible heat throughout June, our volunteers have picked 500 pounds of vegetables for the Food Bank. We have been blessed for sure. The crops are still giving and now the berries are all plumping up and ready to pick along with beans, peas, cucumbers, kale, lettuce, and radishes.