Crowbar: my dream is to have raised beds. I would settle for defined beds this year. We have one bed done that way and it is great. Twenty-one+ more to go.
Our garden is a series of 3′ x 17′ beds in three rows of seven beds. All enclosed in eight foot tall wire. It makes it convenient for rotation. One row of seven is Cole (broccoli, cabbage, etc.), second row is Solonaceae (tomatoes, peepers, potatoes), and the third is legumes (beans, peas). Plus I companion plant whoever possible. The beds do not stay defined as the crops grow over their “boundaries”. I would love to put down some edging, such as a couple of treated landscape timber on top of each other. It would make mowing easier. (Hubby would know to stay at the boundary and not mow over the herbs growing next to the trellised peas. Not that he has done it of course. Ahem.)
Some of the beds have been deeply double dug specifically for root crops – potatoes, carrots/parsnips. All of the beds are looking pretty good this year after six years of gardening. We also get local compost to add to each bed. Worms are increasing and the chunks of clay are getting smaller. We could actually use a tiller this year since there are few weeds to worry about. (I hate tilling up gardens that have weeds since the tiller will break of the weeds’ roots into a million pieces for a million more weeds.)
So time to go outside. Fence will be installed for the blueberries; the straight trees to use for posts are waiting. I will work on weeding strawberries, and creating a new bed. I want four new beds for this season.
Next year we are going to a college graduation of our first international student the end of May. He is getting his Dental license at Columbia. We will not be home for Spring planting next year, so I must be as ready as possible in early May for the best possible crop. Knowing in advance will give me incentive to grow and prepare more this year, and be ready early for next year. Plant and then vacation exploring the NYC area where I have never been.
For now, work.
Here is a link to the Gardening Channel’s video of sprouting seeds. https://www.gardeningchannel.com/pre-germinating-seeds-gives-you-a-head-start/?fbclid=IwAR2JJM0IiwqdVwvm0kb5u-BKnYv0bgdB-_hUwSjS8HT305fhPnD_rPRmxbQ