SHOUT rain out

Yesterday's morning thunderstorms put the kabash on mulching, but Phil Ramey was able to speak to the SHOUT group about gardening, and about the reasons why mulching is good. It was a treat to get to hear him talk again -- his enthusiasm is catching!

Here's a picture (blurry, but a picture nonetheless) of him talking to the group:

All the rain has been a blessing for our garden; it looks grand!

Thanks go out to Michelle Eskind and her husband -- they donated a new, small wheelbarrow to the garden. Clarence has taken the old one home, I think, to try to repair it, too. We appreciate them. I enjoyed talking to Michelle when I ran into her at Target last week -- she's donating her harvest to a couple of single moms she knows. Good stuff.

So back to the mulching that didn't get to happen yesterday -- I put a bunch of newspapers in the shed (to keep them from getting wet), four bales of straw (in addition to the two that were left there by Ann and Jimmy) out near the shed, and several pairs of gardening gloves (in the shed).

If you'd like to mulch your garden bed, bring some newspaper and use it after you water -- seven or eight layers think -- to cover the soil all around your plants. After that, help yourself to the straw and lay that a couple of inches thick on top of the newspaper. This keeps weeds choked out, moisture in, and creates a perfect environment for worms to be happy -- and worms are the best friends our soil has (they aerate and fertilize for us, for free).

I have to go tend my sheepies, so happy day!