1st planting

We’ve have glorious weather this week.  I know it won’t last, but it’s nice all the same.

I got outside for a little while this morning and continued cleaning up the kitchen garden.  I’ve loosened the dirt in three of the eight sections, so those areas are ready for planting.

I actually planted today — half of my spinach seeds, all of my carrot seeds, and two packs of English peas!

I also transplanted a rose from a temporary spot I’d put it in last fall to the place where I had wanted it all along.  Since we have typical Virginia red clay soil, I’ve learned that if I want to start a new flower bed, it’s best to first cover the area (grass and all) with newspaper or cardboard, then cover that with mulch, and then walk away for several weeks (or, in this case, months).  When I dug in this morning, the dirt was really nice.  I took a chance and moved the rose.  I think it will be fine, as it was a well-established plant from a friend’s yard and those roses have been incredibly easy since she planted them.  Just to be safe, I added extra mulch around the rose to protect the roots.

In another area of the yard, I covered the grass with cardboard and a thick layer of mulch.  In about 6-8 weeks, I should be able to plant a couple of azaleas and some shade plants.